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jack·straw noun 1 plural : a game in which straws or thin sticks are let fall in a heap and each player in turn tries to remove them one at a time without disturbing the rest

2 : one of the straws or sticks in jackstraws

jack–tar noun, often cap : a member of a ship's crew : SAILOR

Synonyms

gob, jack, mariner, sailor, seaman, swab, tar—more at SAILOR

Ja·cob's ladder noun : any of several perennial herbs related to phlox that have pinnate leaves and blue or white bell-shaped flowers

jac·quard noun, often cap : a fabric of intricate variegated weave or pattern

1jade noun 1 : a broken-down, vicious, or worthless horse

2 : a disreputable woman

2jade verb jad·ed; jad·ing 1 : to wear out by overwork or abuse

2 : to become weary esp. through repetition or excess

Synonyms

bore, tire, weary—more at BORE

3jade noun [ORIGIN: F, fr. obs. Sp (piedra de la) ijada, lit., loin stone; fr. the belief that jade cures renal colic]

: a usu. green gemstone that takes a high polish

jad·ed adjective : fatigued by overwork; also : made dull, apathetic, or cynical by experience or by surfeit

Synonyms

beat, bushed, dead, drained, limp, prostrate, spent, tired, weary, worn-out—more at WEARY

1jag noun : a sharp projecting part

2jag noun : SPREE

jag·ged adjective : sharply notched

Synonyms

broken, craggy, ragged, scraggly—more at RAGGED

jag·uar noun : a black-spotted tropical American cat that is larger and stockier than the Old World leopard

jai alai noun [ORIGIN: Sp, fr. Basque, fr. jai festival + alai merry]

: a court game played by usu. two or four players with a ball and a curved wicker basket strapped to the wrist

1jail noun [ORIGIN: ME jaiole, fr. AF gaiole, jaiole, fr. LL caveola, dim. of L cavea cage]

: a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody : PRISON; especially : such a place for the confinement of persons awaiting trial or those convicted of minor crimes

Synonyms

pen, prison; also bull pen; concentration camp, prison camp; dungeon, keep; reformatory, reform school

2jail verb : to confine in or as if in a jail

Synonyms

commit, confine, immure, imprison—more at IMPRISON

jail·bird noun : an habitual criminal

jail·break noun : a forcible escape from jail

jail·er also jail·or noun : a keeper of a jail

jal·ap noun : a powdered purgative drug from the root of a Mexican plant related to the morning glory; also : this root or plant

ja·la·pe·ño noun : a small plump dark green chili pepper

ja·lopy noun, plural ja·lop·ies : a dilapidated vehicle (as an automobile)

jal·ou·sie noun [ORIGIN: F, lit., jealousy]

: a blind, window, or door with adjustable horizontal slats or louvers

1jam verb jammed; jam·ming 1 : to press into a close or tight position; also : to become blocked or wedged

2 : to cause to become wedged so as to be unworkable; also : to make or become unworkable through the jamming of a movable part

3 : to push forcibly <~ on the brakes>

4 : CRUSH, BRUISE

5 : to make unintelligible by sending out interfering signals or messages

6 : to take part in a jam session

7 : to fill often to excess

— jam·mer noun

Synonyms

cram, crowd, ram, sandwich, squeeze, stuff, wedge—more at CROWD

block, choke, clog, close, congest, dam, obstruct, plug, stop, stuff—more at CLOG

2jam noun 1 : a crowded mass that impedes or blocks

2 : a difficult state of affairs

Synonyms

corner, fix, hole, pickle, predicament, spot—more at PREDICAMENT

3jam noun : a food made by boiling fruit and sugar to a thick consistency

Jam abbreviation Jamaica

Ja·mai·can noun : a native or inhabitant of Jamaica

— Jamaican adjective

jamb noun [ORIGIN: ME jambe, fr. AF jambe, gambe, lit., leg]

: an upright piece forming the side of an opening (as of a door)

jam·ba·laya noun [ORIGIN: LaF]

: rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, shrimp, or oysters and seasoned with herbs

jam·bo·ree noun : a large festive gathering

James noun : a moral lecture