J () J is the tenth letter of the English alphabet. It is a later variant form of the Roman letter I, used to express a consonantal sound, that is, originally, the sound of English y in yet. The forms J and I have, until a recent time, been classed together, and they have been used interchangeably.
Jaal goat () A species of wild goat (Capra Nubiana) found in the mountains of Abyssinia, Upper Egypt, and Arabia; -- called also beden, and jaela.
Jab (v. t.) To thrust; to stab; to punch. See Job, v. t.
Jab (n.) A thrust or stab.
Jabbered (imp. & p. p.) of Jabber
Jabbering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Jabber
Jabber (v. i.) To talk rapidly, indistinctly, or unintelligibly; to utter gibberish or nonsense; to chatter.
Jabber (v. t.) To utter rapidly or indistinctly; to gabble; as, to jabber French.
Jabber (n.) Rapid or incoherent talk, with indistinct utterance; gibberish.
Jabber (n.) One who jabbers.
Jabberingly (adv.) In a jabbering manner.
Jabberment (n.) Jabber.
Jabbernowl (n.) Same as Jobbernowl.
Jabiru (n.) One of several large wading birds of the genera Mycteria and Xenorhynchus, allied to the storks in form and habits.
Jaborandi (n.) The native name of a South American rutaceous shrub (Pilocarpus pennatifolius). The leaves are used in medicine as an diaphoretic and sialogogue.
Jaborine (n.) An alkaloid found in jaborandi leaves, from which it is extracted as a white amorphous substance. In its action it resembles atropine.
Jabot (n.) Originally, a kind of ruffle worn by men on the bosom of the shirt.
Jabot (n.) An arrangement of lace or tulle, looped ornamentally, and worn by women on the front of the dress.
Jacamar (n.) Any one of numerous species of tropical American birds of the genus Galbula and allied genera. They are allied to the kingfishers, but climb on tree trunks like nuthatches, and feed upon insects. Their colors are often brilliant.
Jacana (n.) Any of several wading birds belonging to the genus Jacana and several allied genera, all of which have spurs on the wings. They are able to run about over floating water weeds by means of their very long, spreading toes. Called also surgeon bird.
Jacaranda (n.) The native Brazilian name for certain leguminous trees, which produce the beautiful woods called king wood, tiger wood, and violet wood.
Jacaranda (n.) A genus of bignoniaceous Brazilian trees with showy trumpet-shaped flowers.
Jacare (n.) A cayman. See Yacare.
Jacchus (n.) The common marmoset (Hapale vulgaris). Formerly, the name was also applied to other species of the same genus.
Jacconet (n.) See Jaconet.
Jacent (a.) Lying at length; as, the jacent posture.
Jacinth (n.) See Hyacinth.
Jack (n.) A large tree, the Artocarpus integrifolia, common in the East Indies, closely allied to the breadfruit, from which it differs in having its leaves entire. The fruit is of great size, weighing from thirty to forty pounds, and through its soft fibrous matter are scattered the seeds, which are roasted and eaten. The wood is of a yellow color, fine grain, and rather heavy, and is much used in cabinetwork. It is also used for dyeing a brilliant yellow.
Jack (n.) A familiar nickname of, or substitute for, John.
Jack (n.) An impertinent or silly fellow; a simpleton; a boor; a clown; also, a servant; a rustic.
Jack (n.) A popular colloquial name for a sailor; -- called also Jack tar, and Jack afloat.
Jack (n.) A mechanical contrivance, an auxiliary machine, or a subordinate part of a machine, rendering convenient service, and often supplying the place of a boy or attendant who was commonly called Jack
Jack (n.) A device to pull off boots.
Jack (n.) A sawhorse or sawbuck.
Jack (n.) A machine or contrivance for turning a spit; a smoke jack, or kitchen jack.
Jack (n.) A wooden wedge for separating rocks rent by blasting.
Jack (n.) A lever for depressing the sinkers which push the loops down on the needles.
Jack (n.) A grating to separate and guide the threads; a heck box.
Jack (n.) A machine for twisting the sliver as it leaves the carding machine.
Jack (n.) A compact, portable machine for planing metal.
Jack (n.) A machine for slicking or pebbling leather.
Jack (n.) A system of gearing driven by a horse power, for multiplying speed.
Jack (n.) A hood or other device placed over a chimney or vent pipe, to prevent a back draught.
Jack (n.) In the harpsichord, an intermediate piece communicating the action of the key to the quill; -- called also hopper.
Jack (n.) In hunting, the pan or frame holding the fuel of the torch used to attract game at night; also, the light itself.
Jack (n.) A portable machine variously constructed, for exerting great pressure, or lifting or moving a heavy body through a small distance. It consists of a lever, screw, rack and pinion, hydraulic press, or any simple combination of mechanical powers, working in a compact pedestal or support and operated by a lever, crank, capstan bar, etc. The name is often given to a jackscrew, which is a kind of jack.
Jack (n.) The small bowl used as a mark in the game of bowls.
Jack (n.) The male of certain animals, as of the ass.
Jack (n.) A young pike; a pickerel.
Jack (n.) The jurel.
Jack (n.) A large, California rock fish (Sebastodes paucispinus); -- called also boccaccio, and merou.
Jack (n.) The wall-eyed pike.
Jack (n.) A drinking measure holding half a pint; also, one holding a quarter of a pint.
Jack (n.) A flag, containing only the union, without the fly, usually hoisted on a jack staff at the bowsprit cap; -- called also union jack. The American jack is a small blue flag, with a star for each State.
Jack (n.) A bar of iron athwart ships at a topgallant masthead, to support a royal mast, and give spread to the royal shrouds; -- called also jack crosstree.
Jack (n.) The knave of a suit of playing cards.
Jack (n.) A coarse and cheap mediaeval coat of defense, esp. one made of leather.
Jack (n.) A pitcher or can of waxed leather; -- called also black jack.
Jack (v. i.) To hunt game at night by means of a jack. See 2d Jack, n., 4, n.
Jack (v. t.) To move or lift, as a house, by means of a jack or jacks. See 2d Jack, n., 5.
Jack-a-dandy (n.) A little dandy; a little, foppish, impertinent fellow.
Jackal (n.) Any one of several species of carnivorous animals inhabiting Africa and Asia, related to the dog and wolf. They are cowardly, nocturnal, and gregarious. They feed largely on carrion, and are noted for their piercing and dismal howling.
Jackal (n.) One who does mean work for another's advantage, as jackals were once thought to kill game which lions appropriated.
Jack-a-lent (n.) A small stuffed puppet to be pelted in Lent; hence, a simple fellow.
Jackanapes (n.) A monkey; an ape.
Jackanapes (n.) A coxcomb; an impertinent or conceited fellow.
Jackass (n.) The male ass; a donkey.
Jackass (n.) A conceited dolt; a perverse blockhead.
Jackdaw (n.) See Daw, n.
Jackeen (n.) A drunken, dissolute fellow.
Jacket (n.) A short upper garment, extending downward to the hips; a short coat without skirts.
Jacket (n.) An outer covering for anything, esp. a covering of some nonconducting material such as wood or felt, used to prevent radiation of heat, as from a steam boiler, cylinder, pipe, etc.
Jacket (n.) In ordnance, a strengthening band surrounding and reenforcing the tube in which the charge is fired.
Jacket (n.) A garment resembling a waistcoat lined with cork, to serve as a life preserver; -- called also cork jacket.
Jacket (v. t.) To put a jacket on; to furnish, as a boiler, with a jacket.
Jacket (v. t.) To thrash; to beat.
Jacketed (a.) Wearing, or furnished with, a jacket.
Jacketing (n.) The material of a jacket; as, nonconducting jacketing.
Jack Ketch () A public executioner, or hangman.
Jackknife (n.) A large, strong clasp knife for the pocket; a pocket knife.
Jackmen (pl. ) of Jackman
Jackman (n.) One wearing a jack; a horse soldier; a retainer. See 3d Jack, n.
Jackman (n.) A cream cheese.
Jack-o'-lantern (n.) See Jack-with-a-lantern, under 2d Jack.
Jackpudding (n.) A merry-andrew; a buffoon.
Jacksaw (n.) The merganser.
Jackscrew (n.) A jack in which a screw is used for lifting, or exerting pressure. See Illust. of 2d Jack, n., 5.
Jackslave (n.) A low servant; a mean fellow.
Jacksmith (n.) A smith who makes jacks. See 2d Jack, 4, c.
Jacksnipe (n.) A small European snipe (Limnocryptes gallinula); -- called also judcock, jedcock, juddock, jed, and half snipe.
Jacksnipe (n.) A small American sandpiper (Tringa maculata); -- called also pectoral sandpiper, and grass snipe.
Jackstay (n.) A rail of wood or iron stretching along a yard of a vessel, to which the sails are fastened.
Jackstone (n.) One of the pebbles or pieces used in the game of jackstones.
Jackstone (n.) A game played with five small stones or pieces of metal. See 6th Chuck.
Jackstraw (n.) An effigy stuffed with straw; a scarecrow; hence, a man without property or influence.
Jackstraw (n.) One of a set of straws of strips of ivory, bone, wood, etc., for playing a child's game, the jackstraws being thrown confusedly together on a table, to be gathered up singly by a hooked instrument, without touching or disturbing the rest of the pile. See Spilikin.
Jackwood (n.) Wood of the jack (Artocarpus integrifolia), used in cabinetwork.
Jacob (n.) A Hebrew patriarch (son of Isaac, and ancestor of the Jews), who in a vision saw a ladder reaching up to heaven (Gen. xxviii. 12); -- also called Israel.
Jacobaean lily () A bulbous plant (Amaryllis, / Sprekelia, formosissima) from Mexico. It bears a single, large, deep, red, lilylike flower.
Jacobean (a.) Alt. of Jacobian