Lively, rhythmic blues music and dance style from the 1920s-40s; to say things that are not true or to mislead.
Origin uncertain, possibly from African languages brought to America, or from 'jibe' (to agree). It emerged in African American jazz culture and gained widespread use in the mid-20th century.
The word 'jive' is fascinating because it has completely different meanings depending on context—dancing jive is celebratory and energetic, but 'giving someone jive' or 'jive talk' means lying or manipulating, showing how the same word absorbed both positive and negative associations.
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