Definition of "jazz" in English

noun

1. (music) A musical art form rooted in West African cultural and musical expression and in the African American blues tradition, with diverse influences over time, commonly characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms and improvisation.

2. (figurative) Energy, excitement, excitability.

3. The substance or makeup of a thing; unspecified thing(s).

   • and all that jazz
   • What is all this jazz lying around?
   • I'm just going down to the shops and jazz.

4. (with positive terms) Something of excellent quality, the genuine article.

   • That show was the jazz!
   • This risotto is simply the jazz.

5. Nonsense.

   • Stop talking jazz.

6. (slang) Semen, jizz.

7. A red-skinned variety of eating apple.

verb

1. (slang) To destroy; to ruin.

   • You’ve gone and jazzed it now!

2. To play (jazz music).

3. To dance to the tunes of jazz music.

4. To enliven, brighten up, make more colourful or exciting.

5. (slang) To complicate.

   • Don’t jazz it too much!

6. (intransitive, US slang, dated) To have sex for money, to prostitute oneself.

7. (intransitive, slang) To move (around/about) in a lively or frivolous manner; to fool around.

8. (slang, transitive) To distract or pester.

   • Stop jazzing me!

9. (slang) To ejaculate.