American Slang & Idioms Starting with "J"

31 entries

• Jam A song you really enjoy, or to play music and have a good time.
• Janky Something poorly made, unreliable, or not working properly.
• Jarhead A US Marine; slang nickname for Marines.
• Jawing Talking at length; chatting, often in a leisurely or gossipy way.
• Jawn A versatile noun that can refer to any person, place, thing, or situation. Us...
• Jaywalking Crossing a street illegally, typically outside of a crosswalk or against a tr...
• Jazzed Excited, enthusiastic, or thrilled about something — conveying upbeat, positi...
• Jeep trail A rough, unpaved road designed for or only accessible by four-wheel-drive veh...
• Jeet? A compressed version of 'Did you eat?' — said as a single syllable.
• Jeez Louise A mild exclamation of surprise, frustration, or exasperation — a polite alter...
• Jell-O salad A dish made with Jell-O gelatin mixed with fruit, whipped cream, marshmallows...
• Jello shots Small servings of gelatin made with alcohol instead of water, eaten as a fun ...
• Jinx! We said the same thing at the same time! (Also: to bring bad luck by mentioni...
• Jit A young person or kid. Can be used affectionately or dismissively.
• Jittery Nervous, shaky, or anxiously restless — often with visible physical symptoms ...
• Jive Deceptive or insincere talk. Nonsense. Can also mean a style of dance or music.
• JK Abbreviation for 'just kidding,' used to indicate something was said as a joke.
• Job hopper A person who frequently changes jobs, typically staying only a short time at ...
• John Hancock Your signature; to sign your name on a document.
• Joint A thing, place, song, or general noun. Used as a versatile word for almost an...
• Joyride A reckless or unauthorized drive taken purely for fun, often in someone else'...
• Jug handle A special ramp or loop road in New Jersey used to make left turns from a righ...
• Juice cleanse A diet of only fruit and vegetable juices for a set period to 'detoxify' the ...
• Jump bail To fail to appear in court after being released on bail.
• Jump on the bandwagon To join or support something only because it's popular or successful.
• Jump the gun To act too soon or before the right time; to be premature.
• Jump the shark The moment when something that was once popular begins an irreversible declin...
• June Gloom The overcast, cloudy weather that blankets the Southern California coast in l...
• Jungle juice A potent, fruity punch made with cheap liquor and fruit juice, typically serv...
• Junk food Unhealthy processed food with low nutritional value, like chips, candy, and f...
• Just saying A tag phrase used after a statement to soften it or distance yourself from it...