Jacob's-ladcler 
(Poltmonium ccFrHltum). 
I, rootstock and lower part of 
stem ; 3, upper part of stem with 
flowers; ./, half of a flower, from 
within ; , fruit. 
Jacob's-ladder 
der with wooil<'n strps or spokes by which to 
go aloft. Also called jack-ladder. 2. A com- 
mon garden-plant of 
the genus I'olemoni- 
II III, till' /'. CUT Illflllll, 
belonging to the 
natural order I'olc- 
iiuiniaeetv: o called 
from the ladder- 
like arrangement of 
its leaves and loaf- 
lets. It Is a favorite cot- 
tage-garden plant, and la 
found In temperate and 
northern latitudes in moat 
parts of the world. It 
grows tall and erect, about 
1} feet high, with alter- 
nate pinnate, smooth. 
bright-green leaves, and 
terminal corymbs of hand- 
some blue (sometimes 
white) (lowers. The name 
is sometimes locally ap- 
plied to several other 
plants. 
3. A toy in which 
pieces of cardboard, 
wood, glass, or other 
material are so con- 
nected, one above an- 
other, with strings or 
tapes, that when the 
highest one is inverted those below it invert 
themselves in succession. 
Jacobson's nerve. See nerve. 
Jacob's-rod (ja'kobz-rod'), n. A name of the 
plant Asi>hodelus lutfus. [Prov. Eng.] 
Jacob's-staff (ja'kqbz-staf), n. [So called in 
allusion to the starfof the patriarch Jacob (Gen. 
xxxii. 10).] 1. A pilgrim's staff. 
As he had traveild many a sommers day 
Through boyling sands of Arable and Ynde, 
And in hie hand a Jacobs staffe, to stay 
His weary limbs upon. Spenser, If. Q., I. vt SB. 
2. A staff concealing a dagger. 3. A support 
for a surveyor's compass, consisting of a single 
leg. instead of the tripod ordinarily used. This 
leg Is made of suitable wood, shod at one end with a steel 
point to be stuck in the ground, and having at the other 
end a brass head with a ball-and-socket joint and axis 
above. The advantages of the Jacob's-staff are superior 
lightness and portability ; the disadvantages, that it can- 
not be used on rocks or frozen ground or on pavements. 
4. A cross-Staff. The cross-staff was for a long time a 
most important instrument for navigators, by whom, how- 
ever, it does not appear over to have been called a ' ' Jacoh's- 
staff "; but it was so designated by the Germans (Jakob's 
Stab\ and also in English oy some landsmen and poeta, as 
shown by the annexed quotations. See quadrant. 
Who, having known both of the land and sky 
More than fam'd Arcturuide, or Ptolomy, 
Would further press, and like a palmer went, 
With Jacobs staf, beyond the Armament. 
Wits' Recreations, IC..M. (JVanw.) 
Why on a sign no painter draws 
The full-moon ever, but the half? 
Resolve that with your Jacob's staff. 
S. Butter, Uudlbras, II. iii. TNI. 
6. The group of three stars in a straight line 
in the belt of Orion, also called the ell-and-yard, 
our Lady's wand,etc. The leader of the three is 6 
Orionis. a very white variable star. 6. Ferbas- 
ciiin Tli<ti>88, the common mulleu. [Prov.Eng.] 
Jacob's stone. See stone. 
Jacob's-sword (ja'kobz-sord'), n. IrisPseuda- 
K, the yellow iris. [Prov. Eng.] 
jacobus (ja-ko'bus), n. [< LL. (NL.) Jacobus, 
< Gr. 'Idnuflof, Jacob, James: see jack 1 , Jaco- 
bin.'] A gold coin of James I. of England: 
same as broad, 3. See cut under broad. 
You have quickly It-unit to count your hundred jam- 
Imsses in English. Milton, Def. of the People of Eng., vii. 
jacoby (jak'o-bi), n. The purple jacobeea. 
jacolattt, n. ' Chocolate. 
At the entertainement of the Morocco Ambassador at 
the Dutchesse of Portsmouth, . . . (the Moores] dranke 
a little milk and water, but not a drop of wine; they also 
dranke of a sorbet tuid jacolatt. 
Evelyn, Diary, Jan. 24, 1682. 
jaconet (jak'6-net), n. [Also written jaconette, 
jacconft, with accom. term., < F.jaconas, jaco- 
net; origin unknown.] 1. A thin, soft variety 
of muslin used for making dresses, neckcloths, 
etc., but heavier than linen cambric, original- 
ly made in India. 2. A cotton cloth having a 
gl sized surface on one side, usually dyed. 
jacouncet, jagouncet, [< OF. javonce, ja- 
ciinct. jaijonce, < L. hi/iirinthus, hyacinth, ja- 
cinth: see jacinth.] Jacinth, a precious stone ; 
according to others, garnet. 
Rubies there were, saphires, jaijounces [var. ragaunea}. 
Rom. of the Rose,l. HIT. 
3213 
Maters more precious then the ryche jacmmce, 
Diamounde, or rubye, or balas of the beste. 
Skelton, Speke, Parrot, I. 305. 
Jacquard loom. See loom. 
Jacque(jak),/i. [Abbr. of Jacqueminot.'] Same 
as Jack*. 
Jacquemontia (jak-we-mon'ti-a), n. [NL. 
( J. D. Choisy, 18IW), named after Victor Jacque- 
mont, who traveled in the West Indies early in 
the 19th century as a naturalist.] A genus of 
plants of the order Conrolinilacece, containing 
about 36 species, one African, the rest natives 
of tropical America. They are herbaceous or slightly 
shrubby plants, of a twining or sometimes prostrate habit. 
Their flowers have a bell-shaped corolla, a 2-celled and 
4-ovuled ovary, and an undivided style with 2 oblong or 
ovate, flattened stigmas. Various species are known in 
cultivation. 
Jacquerie (zhak-6-re'), n. [F., < OF.jaquerie, 
< Jaque, Jacques, or with addition Jacques Bon- 
homme, ' Goodman Jack,' a nickname for a peas- 
ant: see jack 1 .] In French hist., a revolt, of 
the peasants against the nobles in northern 
France in 1358, attended by great devastation 
and slaughter ; hence, any insurrection of peas- 
ants. 
A revolution the effects o( which were to be felt at every 
fireside in France, . . . a new Jacquerie, in which the vic- 
tory was to remain with Jacques bonhomme. 
Macaulay, Mirabeau. 
The emissaries of the National League similarly carry 
out a sort of Jacquerie, in midnight murders, in attacks 
on women and children, In houghing of cattle, in crop- 
ping of horses, and in brutalities which would disgrace 
the worst brigands. Edinburgh Ren., CLXIII. 461. 
Jacquinia (ja-kwin'i-a), n. [NL. (Linnaeus), 
named after N. von Jacquin, a botanist of Vien- 
na.] A genus of the natural order Myrsinacece, 
containing 5 or 6 species of trees or shrubs, 
native in tropical America, and cultivated as 
hothouse plants. The corolla of the flowers is short - 
salver-shaped or bell-shaped and deeply 5 cleft. It has 5 
fertile stamens Inserted low down in its tube, and a sterile 
appendage at each of its sinuses. The thick coriaceous 
leaves are entire and alternate ; the handsome white, 
yellow, or purplish flowers are disposed in terminal or 
axillary clusters. ./. armillaria bears the names of joe- 
wood and currant-tree. 
jactancyt (jak'tan-si), . [= F. jactance = Pr. 
jactancia, jactansa = 8p. Pg. jactancia = It. 
giattanzia, < L. jactantia, a boasting, < jac- 
tan(t-)s, pp. of jactare, throw, reft, boast: see 
jactation.] A boasting. Cockeram. 
jactation (jak-ta'shon), n. [= F. jactation = 
fi.jactacio, < ii.jactatio(n-), a throwing, agi- 
tation, a boasting, <. jactare, throw, shake, agi- 
tate, discuss, utter, refl. boast, brag, freq. of 
jacere, throw, cast: see jet 1 . Ct. jettison, jet- 
sam, ult. a doublet of jactation.'] 1. The act or 
practice of throwing, as missile weapons. 
We find weapons employed in Jactation which seem un- 
fit for such a purpose. J. Beicitt. 
2. Agitation of the body from restlessness or 
for exercise; the exercise of riding in some 
kind of vehicle. 
Among the Romans there were four things much in use ; 
. . . bathing, fumigation, friction, and jactation. 
Sir W. Temple, Health and Long Life. 
Jactations were used ... to relieve that intranquilllty 
which attends most diseases, and makes men often impa- 
tient of lying still In their beds. 
Sir W. Temple, Health and Long Life. 
3. Boasting; bragging. 
jactatort (jak-ta'tor), n. [< li.jactator, a boast- 
er, < jactare, boast: see jactation.'} A boaster 
or bragger. Bailey, 1731. 
jactitation (jak-ti-ta'shon), n. [= F. jactita- 
tion,<. ML..;'acH<atto(n-),<! L. jactitare, bnng for- 
ward in public, utter (not found in lit. sense), 
freq. of jactare, throw, shake, agitate, discuss, 
utter, refl. boast, brag: see jactation.'] 1. A 
frequent tossing to and fro, especially of the 
body, as in great pain or high fever; restless- 
ness. 2. Agitation. 
After much dispassionate inquiry and jactitation of the 
argument on both sides it has been adjudged for the 
negative. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, iv. 29. 
3. Vain boasting; bragging; in canon lair, false 
boasting; insistence on a wrongful claim, to 
the annoyance and injury of another. 4. In 
Louisiana, an action to recover damages for 
slander of title to land, or to obtain confir- 
mation of title by a public recognition of it. 
Jactitation of marriage, in common law, a boasting or 
giving out by a party that he or she is married to another, 
whereby a common reputation of their marriage may fol- 
low. 
jaculablet (jak'u-la-bl), a. [< L. jaculabilis, 
that may be thrown, < jaculari, throw : see jacti- 
late.] Capable of being or fit to be thrown or 
darted. Blaitiit. 
jaculate (jak'u-lat), v. t. ; pret. and pp. jacu- 
latcd, ppr. jai-ulating. [< L. jaculatus, pp. of 
jade 
iaculari (> Pg. jocular), throw (a javelin), 
hit with a javelin, < jaculum, a Ravelin, dart, 
neut. oljaculitK, that is thrown, < jacere, throw : 
see jactation e,nd jet 1 . Cf. ejaculate.] To dart; 
throw; hurl; launch. [Obsolete or archaic. ) 
jaculation (jak-u-la'shon), n. [= F.jaculututn 
= Pg. jaculac,3o, < L. jaculatio(n-), < jaculni i, 
throw: ee jaculate.] The action of throwing, 
darting, hurling, or launching, as weapons. 
[Obsolete or archaic.] 
So hills amid the air encounter'd hills, 
Hurl'd to and fro with jaculatim dire. 
Milton, P. L., TL 665. 
It was well and strongly strung with thirty-six barrels of 
gunpowder, great and small, fur the more Yiolent ^devia- 
tion, vibration, and speed of the arrrows. 
Bp. King, .Sermon, Nor. 5, 1668, p. 20. 
jaculator (jak'u-la-tor), n. [= F. jaculateur, 
< L. jaculator, one who throws (a javelin), < 
jaculari, throw: see jaculate.] If. One who 
jaculates or darts. 2. In ichth., the darter or 
archer-fish. 
Jaculatores (jak'u-la-to'rez), n.pl. rNL., pi. 
of L. jaculator: see jaculator.] In Macgilli- 
vray's system of ornithology, the darters. See 
darter, 3 (b). 
jaculatory (jak'u-la-to-ri), a. [= F. jaculatoire 
= 8p. Pg. It. jaculatorio, < LL. jaculatorius, of 
or for thro wing, <.jacula tor, one who throws: 
see jaculator.] 1 . Darting or throwing out sud- 
denly; cast, shot out, or launched suddenly. 2. 
Uttered brokenly or in short sentences ; ejacu- 
latory. 
Jamlatory prayers are the nearest dispositions to con- 
templation. Spiritual Conflict (1651), p. 81. 
jad (jad), n. [E. dial., a.\sojed,jud,judd; origin 
obscure.] 1. In coal-mining, a long gash cut 
under a mass of coal in "holing," "kirving," 
"benching," or "undercutting" it, so that it 
may afterward fall, or be wedged or blasted 
down. 2. In quarrying, a long deep hole made 
in quarrying soft rock for building purposes, 
whether the gash is horizontal or vertical. 
The Jaddlng pick . . . serves for cutting In long and 
deep hollngs, juds, or jads, for the purpose of detaching 
large blocks of stone from their natural beds. 
Morgans, Mining Tools, p. 140. 
jad (jad), r. t. ; pret. and pp. jadded, ppr. jad- 
ding. [< jad, n.] In coat-mining and quarry- 
ing, to undercut ; form a jad in. 
When the face of any heading from which the stone is 
to be worked away has been properly jadded under the 
roof, the side saw-cuts are proceeded with. 
Moryant, Mining Tools, p. 1:.::. 
jadder (jad'er), . [< jad + -er 1 .] A stone- 
cutter. [Prov. Eng.] 
jadding-pick (jad'ing-pik), n. [Cf.jedding-ai.] 
In coal-mining and quarrying, a form of pick 
with which a jad is cut. The helves range from four 
to six feet in length, the tools being made in seta, to be 
used one after another as the depth of the jad increases. 
The same tool is used, and with the same name, in quar- 
rying the soft freestones of England, as for instance the 
Bath stone. 
jaddis (jad'is), n. [E. Ind.] In Ceylon, a priest 
of the evil genii or devils, officiating in a kind 
of chapel, called Jacco, or devils' house. 
jade 1 (jad), n. [The initial consonant is prop. 
Teut. j = y, conformed to F. j; = E. dial. 
(North.) yaud, Sc. yade.yaud, yad, a mare, an 
old mare ; < ME. jade (MS. lade), a jade, < Icel. 
jalda = Sw. dial, jdlda, a mare.] 1. A mare, 
especially an old mare ; any old or worn-out 
horse ; a mean or sorry nag. 
Be blithe, although thou ryde vpon a jade. 
What though thin horse be botbe foul and lene? 
If he wll serve the, rek not a bene. 
Chaucer, Nun's Priest's Tale, ProL, 1. 46. 
There is one sect of religions men in Cairo, called Che- 
nesia, which Hue vpon horse-flesh : therefore are lame 
lades bought and set vp a fatting. 
Pitrchat, Pilgrimage, p. 590. 
He was as lean, and as lank, and as sorry a jade as Hu- 
mility herself could have bestrided. 
Sterne, Tristram Shandy, 1. 10. 
This same philosophy is a good horse in the stable, but 
an arrant jade on a journey. 
GMtnnM, Good-natured Man, L I. 
Hence 2. A mean or worthless person, ori- 
ginally applied to either sex, but now only to 
a woman; a wench; a hussy; a quean: used 
opprobriously. 
And thus the villaine would the world perswade 
To prowde attempt rs that may presume too high. 
But earthly joies will make him prove A jade, 
When vertue speakes of loue's diuinity. 
Breton, Pilgrimage to Paradise, p. 10. 
She shines the Bret of battered jadet. Sv\n. 
There are perverse jades that fall to men's lots, with 
whom it requires more than common proficiency in phi- 
losophy to be able to live. Steele, Spectator, No. 479. 
