juggle

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”).

Animation of juggling.

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒʌɡəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ʌɡəl

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.
   • Shakespeare

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

   • Shakespeare

     Be these juggling fiends no more believed.

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

juggle (plural juggles)

1. (juggling) The act of throwing and catching each prop at least twice, as a opposed to a flash.
2. (archaic) The performance of a magic trick.
3. (archaic) A deceit or imposture.

• too many balls in the air