Jesuit, subs. (Cambridge University).—1. A graduate or undergraduate of
Jesus College.
1771. Smollett, Humphrey Clinker, To Sir W. Phillips, April 20.
‘Direct your next to me at Bath; and remember me to all our fellow
Jesuits.’
1856. Hall, College Words and Phrases, p. 270, s.v.
2. (venery).—A sodomite: jesuit’s fraternity = the World of Sodomy. For
synonyms see Usher.
1647–80. Rochester, A Ramble in St. James’s Park, in Wks. (1728),
84. The jesuits’ fraternity Shall leave the use of buggery.
To box the jesuit, verb. phr. (old). See quot. For synonyms see Frig.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Box the Jesuit ... for
masturbation.... A crime it is said much practised by the reverend
fathers of that society.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Jet, subs. (old).—A lawyer. For synonyms see Greenbag. Autem-jet = a
parson.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Verb. (old).—To strut; to walk pompously. See jetter.
1537. Thersites [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), i. 430]. The Knave that
here erewhile did jet.
1562–3. Jack Juggler [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ii. 117]. She
simpereth, she pranketh, and jetteth without fail, As a peacock
that hath spread and showeth her gay tail.
1594. Look About You [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), vii. 436]. Thus
jets my noble Skink along the streets To whom each bonnet vails,
and all knees bend.
1602. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, ii. 5. How he jets under his
advanced plumes.
1640. Rawlins, The Rebellion, ii. The proudest creatures; you shall
have them jet it with an undaunted boldness.
To jet one’s juice, verb. phr. (venery).—To come (q.v.); to experience
the sexual spasm.
Jetter, subs. (old).—A pompous man; a strut-noddy (q.v.). See jet,
verb.
1510. Hycke Scorner, [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), i. 164]. Brawlers,
liars, jetters, and chiders.
1540. Heywood, Four P’s [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), i. 384]. What,
should a beggar be a jetter?
Jew, subs. (colloquial).—1. A cheat; a hard bargainer; a sharking
usurer.
1659. Brome, The English Moor, in Wks. (1873), ii. 45 (Act iii. 1).
The best, Sir, I can tell is, the old Jew, Quicksands, hath lost
his wife.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew., s.v. Jew.... He treated me like a
Jew, he used me very barbarously.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Verb. (colloquial).—To drive a hard bargain; to beat down. Also to
cheat.
c. 1871. California Flush Times, [quoted in De Vere]. To Jew,
colloquially known in England as meaning to cheat, is here often
used in the sense of haggling, bargaining. ‘Don’t you think the old
hunks wanted to jew me down to three thousand dollars?’
1883. M. Twain, Life on the Mississippi, xliii, p. 390. There’s one
thing in this world which isn’t ever cheap. That’s a coffin.
There’s one thing in this world which a person don’t ever try to
jew you down on. That’s a coffin.
Worth a Jew’s eye, phr. (colloquial).—Extremely valuable; ‘worth its
weight in gold’. [In the Middle Ages the Jews were subject to great
extortions, and many stories are related of eyes put out, or teeth
drawn, to enforce payment].
1593. G. Harvey, Pierces Super., in Works, ii. 146. Let it
euerlastingly be recorded for a souerain Rule, as deare as a Jewes
eye.
1598. Shakspeare, Merchant of Venice, ii. 5. There will come a
Christian by Will be worth a Jewes eye.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1838. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 2 S. xxi. ‘tho’ they are no good to
you they are worth a Jew’s eye to us, and have ’em we will.’
Jew-bail, subs. (old).—Straw-bail (q.v.).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v.
Jew-butter, subs. (American).—Goose-grease.
Jew-fencer, subs. (common).—A Jew street buyer or salesman, generally
of stolen goods.
Jewhillikens! intj. (American).—A general exclamation of surprise.
b. 1872. Country Merchant, p. 221, (quoted by De Vere). Now they
are coming to the rich licks! jewhillikin!
Jewlark, verb. (American).—To ‘fool around’: a ‘portmanteau’ verb of
action. [See jew = to delude + lark = irresponsible action].
1851. Hooper, Widow Rugby’s Husband, p. 59. Wonder if I’ll ketch
that rascal Jim Sparks jewlarkin’ round Betsy.
Jews-poker, subs. (common).—See quot.
1891. Lloyd’s Weekly, 17 May, p. 11, col. 4. Deceased used to get
her living lighting the Jews’ fires on Saturdays. She was what is
known as a Jews’ poker.
Jezebel, subs. (colloquial).—1. An objectionable woman; a termagant or
shrew. [From the wife of Ahab.]
1553. Bradford, Writings &c. p. 36 (1853). The papists ... are cast
into Jezebel’s bed of security.
1601. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, ii. 5. Fie on him, Jezebel.
1677. Butler, Hudibras III, iii, 194. To win the Jezebel.
1711. Spectator, No. 175. My lodgings are directly opposite those
of a Jezebel.
1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, xlvii. ‘Lord curse that
chattering Jezebel of a landlady, who advised such a preposterous
disguise!’
1771. Smollett, Humphry Clinker, L. 52. They hissed and hooted all
the way; and Mrs. Jenkins was all bespattered with dirt, as well as
insulted with the opprobrious name of painted Jezebel.
1857. A. Trollope, Barchester Towers, xi. ‘Mr. Slope,’ said Mrs.
Proudie, catching the delinquent at the door, ‘I am surprised that
you should leave my company to attend on such a painted Jezebel as
that.’