Dictionary: J – JACK'SAUCE

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J,

THIS letter has been added to the English Alphabet in modern days; the letter I being written formerly in words where J is now used. It seems to have had the sound of y in many words, as it still has in the German. The English sound of this letter may be expressed by dzh, or edzh, a compound sound coinciding exactly with that of g, in genius; the French j, with the articulation d preceding it. It is the tenth letter of the English Alphabet.

JAB'BER, n.

Rapid talk with indistinct utterance of words. – Swift.

JAB'BER, v.i. [D. gabberen, or Fr. jaboter. Class Gb.]

To talk rapidly or indistinctly; to chatter; to prate. – Swift.

JAB'BER-ER, n.

One that talks rapidly, indistinctly or unintelligibly.

JAB'BER-ING, ppr.

Prating; talking rapidly and confusedly.

JAB'BER-ING-LY, adv.

By prating indistinctly or confusedly.

JAB'BER-MENT, n.

Idle prate. [Obs.] – Milton.

JAB'I-RU, n.

An aquatic fowl of the crane kind. The Jabiru is the Mycteria Americana. It resembles the stork. – Cuvier.

JAC'A-MAR, n.

A group of fowls arranged by Linnæus under the genus Alcedo; but their toes are differently placed, and their food consists of insects. They are about the size of a lark. Numerous species are described. – Encyc. The Jackamars are arranged in a separate genus, Galbula, and along with the woodpeckers in the order of climbers. – Cuvier.

JA'CENT, a. [L. jacens, jaceo, to lie.]

Lying at length. – Wotton.

JA'CINTH, n. [a different orthography of Hyacinth.]

A species of pellucid gems. [See Hyacinth.] Rev. xxi.

JACK, n. [zeku, in Ethiopic, is the pronoun he or she.]

  1. A nickname or diminutive of John, used as a general term of contempt for any saucy or paltry fellow. – Johnson.
  2. The name of an instrument that supplies the place of a boy; an instrument to pull off boots. – Watts.
  3. An engine to turn a spit; as, a kitchen jack; a smoke jack.
  4. A young pike. – Mortimer.
  5. A coat of mail. [Sp. xaco, xaqueta.] – Hayward.
  6. A pitcher of waxed leather. – Dryden.
  7. A small bowl thrown out for a mark to the bowlers.
  8. Part of a musical instrument called a virginal. – Bacon.
  9. The male of certain animals, as of the ass. [Arm. ozach, a husband.] – Arbuthnot.
  10. A horse or wooden frame on which wood or timber is sawed. – Ainsworth.
  11. In sea-language, a flag, ensign or colors, displayed from a staff on the end of a bow-sprit. – Mar. Dict.
  12. In Yorkshire, half a pint. Grose. A quarter of a pint. – Pegge. Jack at all trades, a person who can turn his hand to any kind of business. Jack by the hedge, a plant of the genus Erysimum, that grows under hedges. – Fam. of Plants. Jack in a box, a plant of the genus Hernandia. #2. A large wooden male screw, turning in a female one. – Mar. Dict. Jack with a lantern, an ignis fatuus, a meteor that appears in low moist lands. Jack of the clock-house, a little man that strikes the quarters in a clock.

JACK-A-DAN'DY, n.

A little foppish impertinent fellow.

JACK'AL, n. [Sp. chacal; Turk. chical.]

An animal of the genus Canis, resembling a dog and a fox; a native of Asia and Africa. It preys on poultry and other small animals. It is the Canis aureus of Linnaeus. – Encyc. Cyc.

JACK'A-LENT, n. [Jack in lent, a poor starved fellow.]

A simple sheepish fellow. – Shak.

JACK'A-NAPES, n. [jack and ape.]

  1. A monkey; an ape.
  2. A coxcomb; an impertinent fellow. A young upstart jackanapes. – Arbuthnot.

JACK'ASS, n.

The male of the ass.

JACK'-BLOCK, n.

A block attached to the top-gallant-tie of a ship, to sway up or to strike the yard. – Mar. Dict.

JACK'BOOTS, n. [See No. 5, supra.]

Boots that serve as armor for the legs. – Spectator.

JACK'DAW, n. [jack and daw.]

A fowl of the genus Corvus, thievish and mischievous to the farmer. Encyc.

JACK'ET, n. [Sp. xaqueta, a short loose coat; xaco, a short jacket; xaquetilla, a jacket; Fr. jaquette; Basque, jacaya.]

A short close garment worn by males, extending downward to the hips; a short coat.

JACK'ET-ED, a.

Wearing a jacket.

JACK'FLAG, n.

A flag hoisted at the spritsail top-mast-head. – Encyc.

JACK'PUD-DING, n. [jack and pudding.]

A merry-andrew; a buffoon; a zany. – Gay.

JACK'SAUCE, n.

A saucy fellow.