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”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒʌɡəl/

• 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.

   She can juggle flaming torches.

2. (dated, intransitive) To perform various magic tricks or circus skills such as the diabolo, devil sticks, hat, and cigar box manipulation.
   • 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:

     God alone knows where he came from, but he was in the camp one evening juggling for stray coppers in a bowl. Pretty good juggling too it seemed to be, of the usual Indian kind—growing a plant out of a pumpkin seed, turning a stick into a live snake, and the old sword and basket trick that every Eastern conjurer keeps up his sleeve; […]

3. To handle or manage many tasks at once.

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

4. (ambitransitive) To deceive by trick or artifice.

   Synonyms: fudge, massage

   I think they are juggling the company's books.

   • 1613 (date written), 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, [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, [Act V, scene viii]:

     Be these juggling fiends no more believed.

5. (intransitive, archaic) To joke or jest.

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.
   • 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula:

     I could not believe that she was dead. The lips were red, nay redder than before; and on the cheeks was a delicate bloom. “Is this a juggle?” I said to him.

• too many balls in the air