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Glite Dictionary
🎷 A jazz style 🗣️ To talk dishonestly 💃 To dance energetically
to jive

to jive

7 7.6
To dance in a lively, energetic way to jazz or swing music
  • verb
  • /dʒaɪv/
translation icon : bailar jive
  • She loved to jive at every party, effortlessly matching the beat of the jazz band.
  • shuck and jive
  • jump and jive
  • juke and jive

Examples

  • The dancers jived to the lively music, their movements full of energy and excitement.

  • ♫ You can jive ♫

    Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

  • You can dance, you can jive

    Muriel's Wedding (1994)

  • Let me teach you how to jive and wail

    Igor (2008)

  • ♪ ♪ Stuck his head out of the water and began to jive.

    Meet the Feebles (1989)

  • Three black teenagers stand by the door, hucking and jiving louder and louder.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Abby pictured the inmates, jiving up and down the L-shaped corridors, snapping their fingers.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • As the band played, the crowd began to jive, their laughter and cheers filling the air.

Synonyms

to dance
vsto jive
579 1.0

To move quickly and lightly from side to side or up and down

is more specific about energetic exaggeration and jazz or swing music
to boogie
vsto jive
  • Informal
28 7.5

Dance energetically to lively upbeat music

leans toward jazz or swing and often shows exaggerated rhythmic moves
to groove
vsto jive
  • Informal
18 3.9

To enjoy music and move your body to its rhythm

involves more energetic, exaggerated action and a swing or jazz focus
to bust a move
vsto jive
  • Informal
11 8.9

To dance with a lot of energy to show skill or have fun

describes ongoing lively acting and exaggerated moves rather than just starting
to rollick
vsto jive
4 7.3

To play and move in a loud, happy way

is narrower, focusing on rhythmic, exaggerated dancing to jazz or swing music
to get jiggy
vsto jive
  • Slang
3 9.9

To dance in a lively, playful way

emphasizes energetic, sometimes exaggerated performance to jazz or swing music
to jig
vsto jive
2 6.4

To dance quickly with short jumps and kicks

focuses on exaggerated, theatrical movement and jazz or swing rhythm instead
to jitterbug
vsto jive
  • Archaic
2 8.7

To dance quickly with jerky movements to swing music

focuses on general lively energetic movement rather than a specific named dance
to jigg
vsto jive
  • Informal
1 9.9

To move your body quickly to lively club music

speaks more broadly about energetic acting to jazz or swing across settings
to trip the light fantastic
vsto jive
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Dance in a lively, graceful way to music

leans toward energetic, often exaggerated motion rather than graceful elegance
to woogie
vsto jive
  • Informal
1 9.9

To dance in a joyful, energetic way

is more specific to jazz or swing and often feels more exaggerated
to jive to the rhythm
vsto jive
  • Informal
7.5

Dance quickly and happily to the beat of music

has identical meaning but is phrased to stress rhythm and energy

Antonyms

to stand still
75 1.0

Stay upright in one place without moving

to sit still
66 1.0

Stay seated without moving

Idioms

to shuck and jive
  • Slur
1 9.9

To speak in a dishonest or unclear way to avoid answering

Phrasal Verbs

to jive about
  • Informal
8.5

To talk in a lively, informal way about things like music

to jive on
  • Slang
8.9

To agree with someone about a plan or idea

to jive to the rhythm
  • Informal
7.5

Dance quickly and happily to the beat of music

Compounds

jive turkey
  • Offensive
3 9.9

A person who pretends and lies to impress others

How Lively

to jive
7 7.6
to boogie
  • Informal
28 7.5
to bop
6 6.1
to dance
∞ 1.0
to sway
77 2.4

Surface Forms

jive infinitive
jived past
jived past participle
jiving present participle
jives third person singular

Etymology

Jive as a verb comes from that same dance and music scene: it meant to move in a 'lively' or 'swinging' way in the club. So, to jive is to dance with energy to swing or jazz music.