juggle

juggle

English

Etymology

From Middle English jogelen, partly a back-formation of Middle English jogeler (“juggler”), and partly a borrowing from Old French jogler, jongler (“to have fun with someone”), a conflation of Latin joculāri (“to jest; joke”) and Old French jangler (“to regale; entertain; have fun; trifle with; tease; mess around; gossip; boast; meddle”), from Frankish *jangalōn (“to chit-chat with; gossip”), akin to Middle Dutch jankelen (“to murmur; whisper; mumble; grumble”), frequentative of Middle Dutch janken (“to moan; groan; complain”). Related also to Middle Low German janken (“to sigh; moan; lament”), Dutch jengelen (“to whine; whimper”) Dutch janken (“to whine; wimper”).

Pronunciation

Animation of juggling.

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒʌɡəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ʌɡəl

Verb

juggle (third-person singular simple present juggles, present participle juggling, simple past and past participle juggled)

1. To manipulate objects, such as balls, clubs, beanbags, rings, etc. in an artful or artistic manner. Juggling may also include assorted other circus skills such as the diabolo, devil sticks, hat, and cigar box manipulation as well.

   She can juggle flaming torches.

2. To handle or manage many tasks at once.

   He juggled home, school, and work for two years.

3. (transitive, intransitive) To deceive by trick or artifice.

   I think they are juggling the company's books.

   • 1613, William Shakespeare; [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene iii]:

     Is't possible the spells of France should juggle / Men into such strange mysteries?

   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene viii]:

     Be these juggling fiends no more believed.

4. (intransitive, archaic) To joke or jest.
5. (intransitive, archaic) To perform magic tricks.

Derived terms

• juggler
• jugglery
• juggling

Translations

manipulate objects artistically

Armenian: ձեռնածություն անել (jeṙnacutʿyun anel), աճպարարություն անել (ačpararutʿyun anel) Bulgarian: жонглирам (žongliram) Chinese: Mandarin: 變戲法／变戏法 (zh) (biànxìfǎ) Czech: žonglovat (cs) Danish: jonglere Dutch: jongleren (nl) Esperanto: ĵongli Faroese: fimla, gykla Finnish: jongleerata (fi) French: jongler (fr) Georgian: ჟონგლიორობა (žonglioroba), ოინბაზობა (oinbazoba) German: jonglieren (de); (a soccer ball) hochhalten (de) Hungarian: zsonglőrködik Icelandic: djögla, gegla Italian: giocolare Japanese: ジャグリングする (jaguringu suru), ジャッグルする (jaguru suru) Latin: aerusco Macedonian: жонгли́рам (žonglíram) Norwegian: sjonglere (no) Portuguese: fazer malabarismo com Russian: жонгли́ровать (ru) (žonglírovatʹ) Spanish: hacer malabarismos, malabarear, hacer juegos malabares Swedish: jonglera (sv) Ukrainian: жонглювати (žonhljuvaty)

to handle or manage many tasks at once

French: jongler (fr) Georgian: ჟონგლიორობა (žonglioroba), ოინბაზობა (oinbazoba) German: jonglieren (de) Italian: giostrare, destreggiarsi Norwegian: sjonglere (no) Russian: жонгли́ровать (ru) (žonglírovatʹ)

Noun

juggle (plural juggles)

1. (juggling) The act of throwing and catching each prop at least twice, as opposed to a flash.
2. The handling or managing of many tasks at once.
   • 2018, Catherine Blyth, Enjoy Time (page 100)

     Quit the juggle and monotask.

3. (archaic) The performance of a magic trick.
4. (archaic) A deceit or imposture.

Translations

The act of throwing and catching

Bulgarian: жонгльорство (bg) n (žongljorstvo) Esperanto: ĵonglado

The handling or managing of many tasks at once

The performance of a magic trick

Bulgarian: фокус (bg) m (fokus)

A deceit or imposture

Bulgarian: измама (bg) f (izmama)

See also

• too many balls in the air