pi-jaw

UK/ˈpaɪdʒɔː/

noun

Lecturing or patronizing talk, especially from an adult to a child.

First used 19th c.
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Meanings

nounpi-jaw (uncountable)
  1. archaicslanguncountableLecturing or patronizing talk, especially from an adult to a child.First known use 19th c.

    I'll admit for the moment that you aren't giving me pi-jaw.

    1924 April, Ford Madox Ford, chapter II, in Some Do Not … […] (Parade’s End; 1), 2nd edition, London: Duckworth and Company […], published June 1924, →OCLC, part 1, page 45
    1 more example

    Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’

    1991, Stephen Fry, chapter III, in The Liar, London: William Heinemann, →ISBN, page 26

Origin

From pi (“pious, sanctimonious”) + jaw.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pi-jaw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pi-jaw

MLA

“pi-jaw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pi-jaw. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pi-jaw,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pi-jaw.

Source: pi-jaw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.