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Jazz Very Common

Jazz has 8 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk

"that's a lot of wind"

"don't give me any of that jazz"

2

a genre of popular music that originated in New Orleans around 1900 and developed through increasingly complex styles

"After years of playing classical piano, she finally decided to focus her energy on mastering jazz."

3

a style of dance music popular in the 1920s; similar to New Orleans jazz but played by large bands

"The crowded ballroom was filled with dancers moving to the upbeat rhythm of a big band playing classic swing jazz from the twenties."

4

A musical art form rooted in West African cultural and musical expression and in the African American blues tradition, with diverse influences over time, commonly characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms and improvisation.

"The band's performance was a vibrant display of jazz, featuring complex polyrhythms and spontaneous solos that honored the genre's African American blues roots while embracing modern improvisation."

In plain English: Jazz is a lively type of music where musicians play with lots of freedom and improvisation.

"He decided to listen to some jazz on the way home from work."

Usage: Use "jazz" as a noun to refer to the energetic musical genre known for its improvisation and syncopated rhythms, rather than using it as a verb meaning to annoy or excite someone. It describes the specific art form rooted in African American blues traditions that features swing, blue notes, and polyrhythms.

Verb
1

play something in the style of jazz

"The band decided to rearrange the popular pop hit and play it straight up in the style of jazz during their set."

2

have sexual intercourse with

"This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm"

"Adam knew Eve"

"Were you ever intimate with this man?"

3

To destroy.

"Don't try to jazz my car, or I'll call the police immediately."

In plain English: To jazz something means to make it more exciting or lively by adding energy and style.

"She decided to jazz up her outfit with some bright colors."

Usage: Do not use "jazz" as a verb to mean destroying something; that is a confusion with the word "jizz." In everyday English, using "jazz" as a verb means to add energy or excitement to a situation, such as jazzing up a room's decor.

Proper Noun
1

A diminutive of the male given name James.

"Jazz is my oldest brother's nickname, and he always gets a kick out of it when people call him that at family gatherings."

Example Sentences
"He decided to listen to some jazz on the way home from work." noun
"We decided to listen to some smooth jazz while we cooked dinner." noun
"The local community center hosts a free jazz festival every summer." noun
"She spent her morning practicing the saxophone for the upcoming jazz club gig." noun
"She decided to jazz up her outfit with some bright colors." verb
See Also
dance saxophone call jazznik cool cat agony pipe syncopation neo soul
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
talk popular music dance music play copulate
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
scat bop boogie cool jazz funk hot jazz modern jazz trad swing take fornicate

Origin

The origin of "jazz" is unknown, though it first appeared in American English around 1912 before being applied to music by 1915. While its exact source remains unclear, many references suggest the word may be connected to earlier terms like jasm or jism.

Rhyming Words
azz zazz wazz razz chazz spazz pizazz shabazz pizzazz nonjazz nu jazz hot jazz new jazz cool jazz acid jazz free jazz utah jazz punk jazz play jazz gypsy jazz
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