Jam, n. [Prob. fr. jam, v.; but cf. also Ar. jamad ice, jelly, jmid
congealed, jamd congelation, ice.] A preserve of fruit boiled with
sugar and water; as, raspberry jam; currant jam; grape jam.
Jam nut. See Check nut, under Check. -- Jam weld (Forging), a butt
weld. See under Butt.
||Jam`a*ci"na (?), n. [NL.] Jamaicine.
||
||Jam"a*dar (?), n. Same as Jemidar.
||
Ja*mai"ca (?), n. One of the West India islands.
Jamaica ginger, a variety of ginger, called also white ginger, prepared
in Jamaica from the best roots, which are deprived of their epidermis
and dried separately. -- Jamaica pepper, allspice. -- Jamaica rose
(Bot.), a West Indian melastomaceous shrub (Blakea trinervis), with
showy pink flowers.
Ja*mai"can (?), a. Of or pertaining to Jamaica. -- n. A native or
inhabitant of Jamaica.
Ja*ma"i*cine (?), n. [From Jamaica.] (Chem.) An alkaloid said to be
contained in the bark of Geoffroya inermis, a leguminous tree growing
in Jamaica and Surinam; -- called also jamacina. Watts.
Jamb (?), n. [Prov. E. jaumb, jaum, F. jambe a leg, jambe de force a
principal rafter. See Gambol.]
1. (Arch) The vertical side of any opening, as a door or fireplace;
hence, less properly, any narrow vertical surface of wall, as the of a
chimney-breast or of a pier, as distinguished from its face. Gwilt.
2. (Mining) Any thick mass of rock which prevents miners from following
the lode or vein.
Jamb (?), v. t. See Jam, v. t.
Jam*bee" (?), n. [See Jamb, n.: cf. OF. jamboier to walk.] A
fashionable cane. [Obs.] Tatler.
{ Jambes (?), Jam"beux (?), } n. pl. [From F. jambe a leg: cf. OF.
jambiere. See Jamb, n.] (Ancient Armor) In the Middle Ages, armor for
the legs below the knees. [Written also giambeux.] Chaucer.
||Jam`bo*la"na (?), n. [Cf. Pg. jambolão a kind of tropical fruit.]
||(Bot.) A myrtaceous tree of the West Indies and tropical America
||(Calyptranthes Jambolana), with astringent bark, used for dyeing. It
||bears an edible fruit.
||
||Jam"da*ni (?), n. A silk fabric, with a woven pattern of sprigs of
||flowers. [Written also jamdanee.] Balfour (Cyc. of India).
||
Ja"me*son*ite (?), n. [From Prof. Jameson, of Edinburgh.] (Min.) A
steel-gray mineral, of metallic luster, commonly fibrous massive. It is
a sulphide of antimony and lead, with a little iron.
James"'s pow`der (?). (Med.) Antimonial powder, first prepared by Dr.
James, an English physician; -- called also fever powder.
James"town` weed` (?). (Bot.) The poisonous thorn apple or stramonium
(Datura stramonium), a rank weed early noticed at Jamestown, Virginia.
See Datura.
This name is often corrupted into jimson, jimpson, and gympsum.
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Jan (jn), n. [Ar.] (Moham. Myth.) One of an intermediate order between
angels and men.
Jane (jn), n. [LL. Janua Genoa; L. Genua, also OE. Jean.] 1. A coin of
Genoa; any small coin. Chaucer.