Etymology: Old English ceafl (? ceáfl ), corresponding to Old Saxon *kaƀal (only in dative plural kaflun ), modern Flemish kavel , Dutch kevel gum; compare Middle High German kivel , German dialect kiefel , kiffel = kiefe , kiefer jaw, chap; a derivative of an ablaut stem kef- , kaf- , whence also Old Norse kjaptr (Swedish käft , Scots chaft n.). The Old English ceafl regularly gave Middle English chavel , whence chauel , chawl . The later jowle , jowl , joul , joll , jole , is not a regular development; even with change of ch to j , chawl would have given jawl . But these forms coincide with the j forms in jowl n.² and jowl n.³, and they first appear late in the 16th cent., contemporaneously with those of jowl n.², < cholle, chowle. From that time onward the three words have run together in form, although in this word ch forms have come down dialectally to the present day. The origin of the j , first in jowl n.³, and then in jowl n.¹ and jowl n.², is at present unaccounted for; there is no Old French or other Romanic word to the influence of which it can plausibly be referred. This, with the obscurity which attaches to the origin of jowl n.² and jowl n.³, and the fact that all are in recent use levelled under the form jowl, makes the group a very puzzling one.

Etymology: Middle English cholle , choll , chol , coincides in sense with Old English ceolur , choller n. a derivative of same stem as Old English ceolu , ceole , Middle English cheole , chel n. throat (compare Old Low German kela , Old High German chela , Dutch keel , German kehle throat). But the etymological relation of Middle English cholle to these words is difficult to determine; and it does not appear possible to refer it to any Old English type. The 17th cent. chowle was a regular development of Middle English cholle : compare bowle , bowl n.¹ from Middle English bolle ; but the j forms, which, as in jowl n.¹, appear late in the 16th cent., are not accounted for. See jowl n.¹, and jowl n.³

Etymology: The forms agree generally with those of jowl n.²; but the j forms appear here much earlier, and the ch forms disappear before 1500; in sense 2, the ch forms are not evidenced at all. For these reasons, and on account of the complete distinction of sense, this is treated provisionally as a distinct word; but its origin remains unknown. The chronology of the forms of this word, and of jowl n.¹, jowl n.², suggests that it was in this word that the j forms originated, and that hence they passed in the 16th cent. to the two others in which ch was original, so as to level all three under the form jowl, jole. But no extrinsic source of either jolle or cholle in the sense ‘head’ has been found.

Etymology: < jowl v.¹

Etymology: perhaps < jowl n.³, the notion being apparently to knock a head or ball; compare also note to jolt v. Sense 5 may be of distinct origin.

Etymology: Origin obscure.

Etymology: < jowl n.¹