JABORANDI, jab'o-ran'di, _n._ a Brazilian shrub with sialogogue and
diaphoretic properties. [Brazilian.]
JABOT, zha-b[=o]', _n._ a frill of lace, &c., worn by women on the bodice.
JACAMAR, jak'a-mar, _n._ a South American bird something like a kingfisher.
[Fr.,--Brazilian.]
JACANA, ja-k[=a]'na, _n._ a tropical bird, allied to the rails, and
frequenting swamps. [Brazilian.]
JACARANDA, jak-a-ran'da, _n._ a South American tree with hard, heavy, brown
wood. [Brazilian.]
JACCHUS, jak'us, _n._ a South American marmoset.
JACENT, j[=a]'sent, _adj._ lying at length.
JACINTH, j[=a]'sinth, _n._ (_B._) a precious stone, a red variety of
zircon, now called hyacinth: a reddish-orange colour. [Contr. of
_hyacinth_.]
JACK, jak, _n._ used as a familiar name or diminutive of John: a saucy or
paltry fellow: a sailor: any instrument serving to supply the place of a
boy or helper, as a bootjack for taking off boots, a contrivance for
turning a spit (smoke-jack, roasting-jack), a screw for raising heavy
weights, a figure which strikes the bell in clocks: the male of some
animals: a young pike: a support to saw wood on: a miner's wedge: a flag
displayed from the bowsprit of a ship: a leather pitcher or bottle: a coat
of mail: (_coll._) a knave in cards: the small white ball that forms the
aim in bowls.--_ns._ JACK'-A-DAN'DY, a dandy or fop, esp. if diminutive;
JACK'-A-LAN'TERN, the _ignis fatuus_ or Will-o'-the-Wisp; JACK'-A-LENT'
(_Shak._), a boy (for JACK OF LENT, a kind of puppet formerly thrown at in
sport at Lent); JACK'-BLOCK, a block of pulleys used for raising and
lowering topgallant-masts.--_n.pl._ JACK'BOOTS, large boots reaching above
the knee, to protect the leg, formerly worn by cavalry, and covered with
plates of iron.--_ns._ JACK'-CROSS'-TREE, the cross-tree at the head of a
topgallant-mast; JACK'-FLAG, a flag which is hoisted at the spritsail
topmast-head; JACK'-FOOL, an absolute ass; JACK'-IN-OFF'ICE, a conceited
and impertinent official; JACK'-IN-THE-BOX', a box with a figure in it that
springs up when the lid is lifted; JACK'-IN-THE-GREEN', a May-day
chimney-sweep almost covered up with green shrubs; JACK'-KNIFE, a large
clasp-knife; JACK'-MAN, a soldier armed with a jack or coat of mail: a
retainer; JACK'-NAS'TY, a sneak, a sloven; JACK'-OF-ALL'-TRADES, one who
can turn his hand to anything; JACK'-PLANE, a large, strong plane used by
joiners; JACK'-PUDD'ING, a merry-andrew, buffoon; JACK'-RABB'IT, one of
several species of prairie-hares, with very long ears and legs;
JACK'-RAFT'ER, a rafter, shorter than the rest, used in hip-roofs;
JACK'-SAUCE (_Shak._), a saucy fellow; JACK'-SCREW, a screw for raising
heavy weights; JACK'-SLAVE (_Shak._), a low servant, a vulgar fellow;
JACK'-SMITH, a smith who makes jacks for the kitchen; JACK'-SNIPE, a small
species of snipe; JACK'-STAFF, the staff on which the jack is
hoisted.--_n.pl._ JACK'-STAYS, ropes or strips of wood or iron stretched
along the yards of a ship to bind the sails to.--_ns._ JACK'-STRAW, a straw
effigy, a low servile fellow; JACK'-TAR, a sailor; JACK'-TOWEL, a long
endless towel passing over a roller.--JACK FROST, frost personified as a
mischievous fellow; JACK KETCH, a public hangman--from one so named under
James II.; JACK SPRAT, a diminutive fellow.--CHEAP JACK (see CHEAP); EVERY
MAN JACK, one and all; YELLOW JACK (_slang_), yellow fever. [Fr. _Jacques_,
the most common name in France, hence used as a substitute for _John_, the
most common name in England; but it is really=_James_ or _Jacob_--L.
_Jacobus_.]
JACK, JAK, jak, _n._ a tree of the East Indies of the same genus as the
bread-fruit tree. [Port. _jaka_--Malay _tsjaka_.]
JACKAL, jak'awl, _n._ a wild, gregarious animal closely allied to the
dog--erroneously supposed to act as a lion's provider or hunting scout,
hence a tool, a Parasite. [Pers. _shagh[=a]l_.]
JACKANAPES, jak'a-n[=a]ps, _n._ an impudent fellow: a coxcomb. [_Jack o'
apes_, one who exhibited monkeys, with _n_ inserted to avoid the hiatus.]
JACKASS, jak'as, _n._ the male of the ass: a blockhead. [_Jack_--the male,
and _ass_.]