jockey

bench jockey

In US baseball slang, a coach or player who berates or derides the umpire or opposing players from his team's dugout bench. In this usage, "jockey," the rider of a race horse, refers to "riding someone," which commonly means to harass or ridicule a person. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. I wish you wouldn't be such a bench jockey at our games!
See also: bench, jockey

desk jockey

A worker who spends the majority of their time seated at a desk. Humorously likened to the jockey of a horse. I was breaking my back working construction for five years before I finally got a job as a desk jockey at the local bank. I feel sorry for all those desk jockeys trapped inside for eight hours a day.
See also: desk, jockey

disc jockey

One who selects and plays music for the public, as on a radio station or at a party or event. Commonly abbreviated as "DJ." Man, this disc jockey is terrible—no one is dancing. I love that disc jockey's radio show—she always plays the best music.
See also: disc, jockey

jockey around

1. To maneuver around something, especially in an awkward or ungainly manner. There was only one waiter serving the large table of guests, so he had to keep jockeying around it to bring people their food and serve their drinks. I hate having to jockey around this massive filing cabinet every time I want to get into the storage closet.
2. To shift or maneuver someone or something around. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "jockey" and "around." I had to jockey around a bunch of stuff in the garage in order to fit the new bicycle in. There was a lot of confusion among the festival organizers, and they kept jockeying us around to different stages throughout the day.
See also: around, jockey

jockey for position

1. Literally, to move one's horse into a good or ideal position while racing. He's jockeying for position, but I don't think he'll finish higher than third.
2. To compete against others for a desirable role or thing. With the CEO retiring, everyone in management is jockeying for position The more outgoing kids started jockeying for position as soon as the class took the stage.
See also: jockey, position

jockey into position

1. Literally, to move one's horse into a good or ideal position while racing. A noun or pronoun can be used between "jockey" and "into." He's jockeying into position, but I don't think he'll finish higher than third. I left it too late to jockey my horse into position, so I knew I had no hope of winning.
2. By extension, to move oneself or one's vehicle into a good or ideal position in order to do something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "jockey" and "into." The runners all began jockeying into position as they neared the finish line. The students jockeyed into position so that they would be at the front of the stage for their recital.
3. To compete against others for a desirable role or position. With the CEO retiring, everyone in management is jockeying into position so that they'll be considered for the job. The major political parties have spent the entire year jockeying into position ahead of the election.
See also: jockey, position

jockeying for position

The act of competing against others for a desirable role or thing. This jockeying for position needs to stop—the CEO has already chosen his successor.
See also: jockey, position

lawn jockey

1. A small statue of man, usually dressed like a jockey, bearing a metal ring in one outstretched hand, originally intended as a hitching post and now typically placed on a front lawn. One version particularly popular in the southern United States (sometimes called a "jocko") features the exaggerated stereotypical features of a black man. Though its origin is debated, it is often considered offensive. It is still not uncommon to see lawn jockeys in front of houses if you travel down south, even though no one uses them to tie up their horses anymore.
2. highly offensive Used by extension as a derogatory slang term for a black man. I could hear the group call me a lawn jockey as I passed by, but I just kept walking.
See also: jockey, lawn
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

jockey around

to move around as if trying to get into a special position. I spent most of the movie jockeying around, trying to get comfortable. She always has to jockey around a bit when she is getting into a parking place.
See also: around, jockey

jockey for position

 
1. Lit. to work one's horse into a desired position in a horse race. Three riders were jockeying for position in the race. Ken was behind, but jockeying for position.
2. . Fig. to work oneself into a desired position. The candidates were jockeying for position, trying to get the best television exposure. I was jockeying for position but running out of campaign money.
See also: jockey, position

jockey someone or something into position

to manage to get someone or something into a desirable position. (See also jockey for position.) The rider jockeyed his horse into position. Try to jockey your bicycle into position so you can pass the others.
See also: jockey, position

jockey something around

to maneuver something around; to manage something. We had to jockey our bikes around a number of stalled cars. We jockeyed around a few can to make room for the bus in the parking lot.
See also: around, jockey
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

jockey for position

Maneuver or manipulate for one's own benefit, as in The singers are always jockeying for position on stage. This expression, dating from about 1900, originally meant maneuvering a race horse into a better position for winning. It was transferred to other kinds of manipulation in the mid-1900s.
See also: jockey, position
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

jockey for position

If someone jockeys for position, they try to get into a better position or situation than people they are competing against. Reporters with their cameras jockeyed for position. Some presenters are already jockeying for position to see who will read the new Six O'Clock News. Note: Jockeying for position is also used as a noun. There was a constant jockeying for position between the superpowers. Note: The image here is of jockeys (= riders of race horses) trying to get their horses into the best position at the beginning of a race.
See also: jockey, position
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

jockey for position

manoeuvre in order to gain advantage over rivals in a competitive situation.
See also: jockey, position
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

bench jockey

n. a player who sits on the bench and calls out advice. The coach told all the bench jockeys to shut up.
See also: bench, jockey

desk jockey

n. someone who works at a desk in an office. (Patterned on disk jockey.) I couldn’t stand being a cooped-up desk jockey.
See also: desk, jockey

disk jockey

and deejay and disc jockey and DJ
n. a radio announcer who introduces music from phonograph records. (see also veejay.) The disk jockey couldn’t pronounce the name of the singing group.
See also: disk, jockey

disc jockey

verb
See disk jockey
See also: disc, jockey

jock(e)y

n. an addictive drug. (Drugs. Because such a drug rides one like a jockey rides a horse.) That jockey rode her for years.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

jockey for position, to

To maneuver or manipulate, to further one’s own interest. The verb to jockey has meant to gain an advantage through adroit maneuvering from about 1700 or so. To jockey for position was used literally (meaning to maneuver a racehorse) in the early twentieth century and was only transferred to other endeavors about 1950. The London Times had it in 1955, “Lawyers jockeying for position to appear before the right judge.”
See also: jockey
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

lawn jockey

A derogatory term for an African-American. A traditional feature of a Southern front yard was a statue of a diminutive black man painted in the colors of horseracing silks. His hand was outstretched, as if to hitch a horse's reins (the hand often ended in a ring for just that purpose). As an expression connoting subservience in the sense of “slave” or “mascot,” “lawn jockey” deserved to be consigned to the linguistic scrap heap.
See also: jockey, lawn
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • bench
  • bench jockey
  • blimp
  • blimp out
  • gun
  • guns
  • brassic lint
  • flash
  • flash on
  • flashing
References in periodicals archive
Having been approved by the Jockey Club at tests at the start of the week, the new team of stalls handlers assembled by Arena Leisure are due to start work at the meeting on Monday.
Koenig described the company's jockey insurance as lifetime major medical with some disability coverage.
I finally decided that I needed to tell the world that there are, in fact, gay jockeys who are still riding.
The disagreement erupted when the Jockey Club introduced restrictions on phone use after a high-profile corruption court case.
"The Jockey Club had the opportunity to say let's call a ceasefire and get back to the negotiating table and get this situation resolved.
'A very successful jockey can choose where and when they want to ride.
"We are aware of all the disciplinary measures taken by the Jockey Club against riders and we keep an eye on the records of every jockey and the penalties they receive."
Obviously in the next year I'd like to aim to be a top 10 jockey and maybe one day be champion jockey."
Ruby Walsh, chairman of Irish Injured Jockeys, was the starter for the two races, while former jockey Ken Whelan was commentator and master of ceremonies.
The former jump jockey rode 195 winners including the Scottish Grand National and finished fifth in the Grand National.
Online bookmaker Betfair recognise what it takes to be a jockey, and have created National Jockey Day to raise awareness of the thousands of jockeys across the country - from the household names to the less well known journeymen.
Joseph O'Brien's ride on Camelot in the Racing Post Trophy was voted International Jockey Ride of the Year, while Cathy Gannon took the prize for the Lady Jockey of the Year award for the second year.
Hanagan was increasing his number of Lesters to five as he picked up the Flat Jockey of the Year, Flat Ride of the Year and Flat Jockey Special Recognition.
Rating 4 out of 5 Jockey: A P McCoy Trainer: J J O'Neill 02 TIDAL BAY Talented but quirky, it's impossible to predict how he will react to the distance.
A WORKING group has been set up by the Jockey Club to look at the problems jockeys face because of the increased fixture list.