Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Both my parents were from Liverpool, but I was brought up in Cheshire. I have adopted all sorts of words from my parents and obviously absorbed words and sayings from Cheshire and Manchester too. I have always (I think) used the word jib to mean different things. I would use it to say eg "jib off" meaning to put someone/thing off. But the main use has always been to describe a lower jaw jutting out eg "Keira Knightly has a jib" (not very nice I know!). The other day my daughter asked me where this word came from and I couldn't tell her. I have asked all my family and friends, and everyone denies ever using jib in this way! Am i going mad? Have I really made it up? Somebody please tell me they have heard of this use! (I know about the sailing connection to jib.)

Hi,
Excellent selection of meanings for 'jib' here:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jib

The comment "Keira Knightly has a jib" refers to her pointed chin being likened to the foresail of ship which jutted out from the bow.

My family used the word to explain that someone was very reluctant to do something.... 'he/she jibbed at that', similar to a horse jibbing [refusing to jump over] at a fence.

More recently I have heard it used as a 'nice' replacement for the f word!

Thank you! What an interesting urban dictionary - lots of drug references and rude meanings! It's the first time I have seen any references to the jaw or chin. But it still doesn't explain where I got it from, certainly not my family. It's making me think about other words I use to.

Thanks DS. I'm glad to be back!

Hadn't heard of it referring to a chin myself, usually to jib something off, meaning similar to you have already found, not wanting to do something.

Doesn't surprise me all these new meanings to words, just listen to our kids these days, it's difficult to know what they are talking about!

I've never heard of jib, but then I've learnt so many new Aussie words in the 40yrs I've been here.
My grandee was doing a painting by numbers, she wouldn't let me see until she'd finished.
I said to her " giz a decko" and she turned it around and showed it to me.
When I realized what I'd said I asked her how she knew what I meant.
She said, Nannie, I know what all those funny English words you use mean!
Scouse as a 2nd language downunder...

Haha! I worked in Lancashire with a young girl who eventually owned up to not understanding something I had said, but couldn't remember what the words were. I told her to stop me next time I said it and ask - she did when she had asked if she should do something and I told her to "go-ed".

giz a decko

Now that's a blast from the past!

D.S

Mary, another good 'un...