jannock
Sociable, fair dealing.—Norfolk. Generally now JONNICK, which see.
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japan
To ordain. Having evident reference to the black clothes which follow ordination.—University.
Japanese Vellum
An extremely costly hand- beaten Japanese paper manufactured from the inner bark of the mulberry tree.
japanned
Ordained. To be japanned; to enter into holy orders, to become a clergyman, to put on the black cloth: from the colour of the japan ware, which is black.
jark
A "safe-conduct" pass.—Oxford. Old cant for a seal.
jarkmen
Those, who fabricate counterfeit passes, licences, and certificates for beggars.
jarmas
pajamas
jarndyce v
Jarndyce (jam disO- An inter- minable Chancery suit, in Bleak House. Dickens probably founded his story on the long drawn-out Chancery suit of Jennens v. Jennens, which related to property in Nacton, Suffolk, belonging to an intestate miser who died in 1798. The case was only finally con- cluded more than eighty years after its start.
jarred
Drunk.
jarvey
The driver of a hackney-coach; "JARVEY’S upper Benjamin," a coachman’s overcoat, with many capes. An ingenious etymology has been found for JARVEY, thus:—JARVEY, vernacular for Geoffrey, which was often written Geo. (gee-ho), hence JARVEY. This is open to considerable objection, as George is shortened in similar manner to that shown above. Still it is worthy of record, independently of its ingenuity, being as exact as many accepted derivations.
jason's fleece
A citizen cheated of his gold.
jaw
Speech, discourse. Give us none of your jaw; let us have none of your discourse. A jaw-me-dead; a talkative fellow. Jaw work; a cry used in fairs by the sellers of nuts.
jaw
Speech, or talk; "hold your JAW," don’t speak any more; "what are you JAWING about?" i.e., what are you making a noise about?
jaw away
to talk excessively and pointlessly
jaw-breaker
A hard or excessively long word. Also, in pugilistic sense, a hard blow on the side of the face.
jaw-twister
A hard or many-syllabled word. Elaboration of preceding.
jawblock
To talk.
jawbone
Credit.
jawn
Something; a thing; any object, place, or person.
Jaya and Vijaya
Twin gatekeepers of Vishnu's abode
jazey
A wig. A corruption of JERSEY, the name for flax prepared in a peculiar manner, of which common wigs were formerly made; "the cove with the JAZEY," i.e., the judge.
jazz cabbage
Marijuana.
jeames
(a generic for "flunkeys"), the Morning Post newspaper—the organ of Belgravia and the "Haristocracy."
jedi mind trick
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Jedwood Justice
Putting an obnoxious person to death first, and trying him afterwards. This sort of justice was dealt to moss-troopers. Same as Jedburgh justice^ Jeddart justice. We have also "Cupar justice" and "Abingdon law.
jeebus
Jesus.
jeffy
It will be done in a jeffy; it will be done in a short space of time, in an instant.
jehu
To drive jehu-like; to drive furiously: from a king of Israel of that name, who was a famous charioteer, and mentioned as such in the Bible.
jehu
Old slang term for a coachman, or one fond of driving.—Biblical.
jel
jealous
jelly
Jealous.
jeminy o!
A vulgar expression of surprise.
jemmy
A crow. This instrument is much used by housebreakers.
jemmy
A sheep’s-head.—See SANGUINARY JAMES.
Jemmy Damson
The hero of a pathetic ballad by Shenstone, given in Percy's Rehques. Captain James Dawson (c. 1717-46) joined the "Young Chevalier," and was one of the Manchester rebels who was hanged, drawn, and quartered on Kennington Common in 1746. A lady of gentle blood was in love with the gallant young rebel, and died of a broken heart after witnessing his execution.
jemmy fellow
A smart spruce fellow.
Jemmy Jessamy
A Jack-a-dandy; a lady's fondling, "sweet as sugar-candy." This was very different language to that she had been in the habit of hearing from her Jemmy Jessamy adorers. — THACKERAY : Barry Lyndon, ch. xiii.
jemmy-john
A jar for holding liquor; probably a corruption of demi-gallon, by means of DEMI-JOHN.
Jenkins's Ear
The name given to an incident that helped largely to bring about the war between England and Spain in 1739 that eventually developed into the War of the
jenkins's ears
On reaching London Jenkins carried his complaint (and his severed ear in a leather case) to the king and demanded reparation. At the tune little notice was taken of the incident, but some years later, in 1738, the matter was brought up again, Jenkins and his ear were examined by a committee of the House of Commons and his case became an added grieyance to the many others that culminated in war.
jenny
An instrument for lifting up the grate or top of a show-glass, in order to rob it. CANT.
jenny linder
A winder,—vulgar pronunciation of window.
Jenny Wren
The sweetheart of Robin Red- breast in the old nursery rhyme.
jenny's bawbee
Her marriage portion. Wha'll hire, wha'll hire, wha*ll hire me? Three plumps and a wallop for ae bawbee.
jeremiad
A lament; derived, of course, from the Book of Lamentations, written by the Prophet Jeremiah.
jeremy diddler
An adept at raising the wind, i.e., at borrowing, especially at borrowing with no intention of repaying. See the farce of Raising the Wind.
Jeremy Diddler
An adept at raising money on false pretences. From Kenny's farce called Raising the Wind.
jericho
An improper quarter of Oxford. A lady visitor once writing her name down in the visitors’ book at the Bodleian or elsewhere, for a joke put down her residence as "Jericho," to the no small disgust of her undergraduate friend.—University.
jerk off
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Jerked Beef
"Jerked" is here a corruption of Peruvian charqui, meat cut into strips and dried in the sun.
jerkin the gherkin
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
jerry
A chamber utensil; abbreviation of JEROBOAM.—Swift.
Jerry Diddler
See DIDDLE. Jerry-shop, or Tom and Jerry shop.
jerry shop
A beer-house. Contraction of "Tom and Jerry."
Jerry Twitcher
See TWITCHER. Jersey is Caesar's-ey— i.e. Caesar's island, so called in honour of Julius Caesar. In U.S.A. Jersey is often used to indicate the State of New Jersey.
jerry-go-nimble
The diarrhœa. Derivation apparent.
jerrycummumble
To shake, towzle, or tumble about.
Jerusalem after the Captivity
See Ezra iv, vi, and vii, and Neh. ii, v, and xiii. Artegal, or Arthegal, Sir (ar' te gal). The hero of Bk. v of Spenser's Faerie Queene, lover of Bntomart, to whom he is made known by means of a magic mirror. He is emblematic of Justice, and in many of his deeds, such as the rescue of Irena (Ireland) from Grantorto, is typical of Arthur, Lord Grey of Wilton, who went to Ireland as Lord Lieutenant in 1580 with Spenser as his secretary.
jerusalem are patriarchs
Within a religious order the title is given to the founder, as St. Benedict, St. Francis, and St. Dominic.
jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem is here a corruption of Ital. Girasole. Girasole is the sunflower, which this vegetable resembles both in leaf and stem.