jazz
/dʒæz/ (bre, ipa) · [dʒˈæz] /dʒæz/ (ame, ipa) · [dʒˈæz] /ˈjaz/ (ame, mw)
jazz — noun
1. A style of music that began with African American musicians in the early 1900s,
A style of music that began with African American musicians in the early 1900s, known for its strong but flexible rhythms, off-beat accents, and the freedom for players to invent new melodies on the spot.
Bilal put on some jazz while cooking dinner for his family.
collocation: put on + jazz
The little club near the river has live jazz every Tuesday night.
collocation: live jazz + at [venue]
My grandmother loves jazz because the musicians make up the melodies as they play.
Lucas learned to play jazz on the trumpet at music school.
Modern jazz often mixes classical music with African rhythms and electric sounds.
- swing
a sub-style of jazz popular in the 1930s–1940s, with a strong, danceable beat; not a general synonym for all jazz
- bebop
a faster, more complex style of jazz that emerged in the 1940s; not interchangeable with earlier jazz styles
- the blues
a related but distinct genre that heavily influenced jazz, focusing on emotional expression through a standard 12-bar structure
文法句型
jazz + noun (jazz music, jazz band)
play/listen to + jazz
jazz + verb (a style that…)
用法筆記
Uncountable — you do not say 'a jazz' or 'two jazzs'. To refer to a specific piece, say 'a jazz song', 'a jazz tune', or 'a piece of jazz'.
常見錯誤
2. A sweet apple with red and green skin and firm flesh, created by crossing Royal
A sweet apple with red and green skin and firm flesh, created by crossing Royal Gala and Braeburn varieties and sold under a brand name.
Lakan bought a bag of Jazz apples from the weekly farmer's market.
collocation: bag of Jazz apples
The Jazz apple has a firm texture and a sweet, tangy taste.
structure: [name] apple + has + [qualities]
Wei sliced a Jazz apple for his daughter's afternoon snack.
These Jazz apples stay fresh longer than other varieties in the fridge.
文法句型
Jazz apple + noun (Jazz apple tree)
eat/have/buy + (a) Jazz apple
Jazz apples + verb
用法筆記
Always capitalised as 'Jazz apple' because it is a registered brand name. Common in British supermarkets; less widely known in the US.
常見錯誤
3. A casual phrase used after naming a few things to mean 'and other similar items
A casual phrase used after naming a few things to mean 'and other similar items of that kind' without listing them all.
The wedding needed flowers, music, a big cake, and all that jazz.
pattern: [item], [item], [item], and all that jazz
Christopher talked about his job, his new car, and all that jazz at dinner.
pattern: personal topics + and all that jazz
The team checked equipment, transport, food, and all that jazz before departing.
Nila bought a dress, shoes, a handbag, and all that jazz for the party.
- and the like
more formal and slightly dated; used in both writing and speech
- and so on
neutral in register; works in most contexts without sounding informal
- and stuff
very informal, more common in everyday conversation than 'and all that jazz'
文法句型
[list of items], and all that jazz
用法筆記
Only appears in the fixed phrase 'and all that jazz' at the end of a list. Do not separate the parts — you cannot say 'all that jazz and more' in this sense.
常見錯誤
❌ 'I need pens, paper, and all that jazz for the meeting.' (correct structure but overly informal for a work context) — use 'and other supplies' instead in formal writing.
4. Statements that sound important or confident but have no real content, truth, or
Statements that sound important or confident but have no real content, truth, or practical value behind them.
Don't give me all that jazz about your best effort — you slept through class.
informal: 'don't give me that jazz' as refusal to believe
The salesman's promises were just jazz with no real proof behind them.
structure: [noun] + be just jazz
Her campaign speech was full of jazz about change but offered no clear plan.
Piotr knew his boss's compliments were just jazz meant to keep him quiet.
- truth
direct opposite — statements based on facts rather than empty talk
文法句型
that's (all) jazz
don't give me that jazz
be full of jazz
be just jazz
用法筆記
Always negative in tone — used to dismiss what someone says as worthless or dishonest. Common in fixed expressions like 'don't give me that jazz' (don't try to fool me).
常見錯誤
❌ 'I enjoyed the jazz at the conference.' (confusing this sense with sense 1) — 'jazz' meaning empty talk is a different word; if you mean the music, use sense 1.
5. A high-energy dance style with sharp, powerful body movements, first widely danc
A high-energy dance style with sharp, powerful body movements, first widely danced in the nineteen-twenties and often performed to big-band music.
Maeve takes a jazz dance class at the community centre every Thursday.
collocation: take + jazz dance class
The dancers wore bright costumes and moved to a fast jazz beat.
collocation: jazz beat
Eshe learned the basic steps of 1920s jazz for the school performance.
The teacher showed the children how to kick and turn in jazz style.
- swing dance
a partner dance style that emerged from swing music in the 1930s–40s; related to but distinct from earlier jazz dance
文法句型
jazz dance
jazz class
do / take / learn + jazz
用法筆記
Often paired with 'dance' ('jazz dance') to avoid confusion with the music genre. The dance style borrows the syncopated rhythms of jazz music and emphasises sharp, dramatic movements.
常見錯誤
jazz — verb
- jazzpresent simple I / you / we / they
- jazzes3rd person singular
- jazzing-ing form
- jazzedpast simple
1. To perform or change a piece of music so that it has the loose rhythms, off-beat
To perform or change a piece of music so that it has the loose rhythms, off-beat accents, and improvised feel of jazz, rather than sticking to the original written version.
The pianist decided to jazz the old folk song with a faster rhythm.
transitive: jazz + [song] + [manner]
Imran enjoys jazzing classical pieces for his school jazz band.
gerund: jazzing + [pieces]
The trio jazzed all night long at the festival's main stage.
Elena learned to jazz a simple melody by adding off-beat accents.
文法句型
jazz + [song/melody] (transitive)
jazz up + [noun phrase] (phrasal verb)
jazz + [adverb/time] (intransitive)
用法筆記
Often used in the phrasal verb 'jazz up', which can also extend beyond music to mean 'make more lively or exciting' (e.g. 'jazz up the party with some decorations'). The plain transitive form is less common and mostly used by musicians.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He jazzed the meeting with a joke.' (stretching the metaphor too far) — 'jazz up' works for making something livelier, but just 'jazz' as a verb is primarily musical.