Jehu humorous.
(ˈdʒiːhjuː)
[In allusion to 2 Kings ix. 20 ‘the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he driveth furiously’.]
a. A fast or furious driver. b. A driver, a coachman.
| 1682 Dryden Medal 119 But this new Jehu spurs the hot-mouth'd horse. 1682 S. Pordage Medal Rev. 124 And if these Jehu's who so fiercely drive, In their sinister Arts proceed and thrive. 1694 Congreve Double-Dealer iii. iii, Our Jehu was a hackney-coachman When my lord took him. 1759 Goldsm. Bee No. 5 (Reverie), He assured the Coach⁓man that..his baggage..was perfectly light. But Jehu was inflexible. 1826 Sporting Mag. XVII. 243 ‘Team’ and ‘Drag’ are terms very generally made use of by Gentlemen Jehus. 1877 M. M. Grant Sun-Maid ii, He admired Gilbert as a Jehu. |
c. attrib. and Comb.
| 1755 Man xxxiii. 2 There came behind me a Jehu driver of a phaeton. 1830 N. S. Wheaton Jrnl. 338 He manages his fiery steeds in a very Jehu-like style. |
Hence ˈJehu v., to drive (trans. and intr.).
| 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie II. viii. 77 Miss Julia and Mr. Mordaunt jehuing awa in a chaise and four. 1825 Examiner 266/2 He himself was Jehu-ing this four-wheeled carriage. |