Jowls

[joul, johl] /dʒaʊl, dʒoʊl/

noun
1.
a jaw, especially the lower jaw.
2.
the cheek.
[joul, johl] /dʒaʊl, dʒoʊl/
noun
1.
a fold of flesh hanging from the jaw, as of a very fat person.
2.
the meat of the cheek of a hog.
3.
the dewlap of cattle.
4.
the wattle of fowls.
/dʒaʊl/
noun
1.
the jaw, esp the lower one
2.
(often pl) a cheek, esp a prominent one
3.
cheek by jowl, See cheek (sense 7)
/dʒaʊl/
noun
1.
fatty flesh hanging from the lower jaw
2.
a similar fleshy part in animals, such as the wattle of a fowl or the dewlap of a bull
n.

“jaw,” 1570s, alteration of Middle English chawl (late 14c.), chavel (early 14c.), from Old English ceafl, from Proto-Germanic *kefalaz (cf. Middle High German kiver, German kiefer, Old Norse kjoptr “jaw,” Danish kæft, Flemish kavel, Dutch kevel “gum”), from PIE *gep(h)- “jaw, mouth” (cf. Old Irish gop, Irish gob “beak, mouth”). The change from ch- to j- has not been explained.

“fold of flesh under the jaw,” 1590s, alteration of Middle English cholle “fold of flesh hanging from the jaw” (c.1300), perhaps from Old English ceole “throat,” from PIE *gwele- “to swallow” (see glut). This word and jowl (n.1) influenced one another in form and sense.

jowl 1 (joul)
n.

jowl 2
n.
The flesh under the lower jaw, especially when plump or flaccid.

Related Terms

bat one’s gums
see: cheek by jowl