lockjaw

[lok-jaw] /ˈlɒkˌdʒɔ/
noun, Pathology
1.
tetanus in which the jaws become firmly locked together; trismus.
Origin
1795-1805; lock1 + jaw
Examples from the web for lockjaw
  • Tetanus, commonly called lockjaw, is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system.
  • Tetanus is an infectious disease that affects the nervous system and causes severe muscle spasms, known as lockjaw.
  • Tetanus, commonly called lockjaw, is a bacterial infection that affects the nervous system.
  • Whether such a lockjaw defense could stand up in court is debatable.
British Dictionary definitions for lockjaw

lockjaw

/ˈlɒkˌdʒɔː/
noun
1.
(pathol) a nontechnical name for trismus, tetanus
lockjaw in Medicine

lockjaw lock·jaw (lŏk'jô')
n.

  1. See tetanus.

  2. See trismus.

Slang definitions & phrases for lockjaw

lockjaw

noun

: McKellen's Richard, his defects minimized and with a ruling-class lockjaw accent, is elegantly carved in ice (1980s+)

Related Terms

have lockjaw, locust valley lockjaw