J
JABBER. To talk in an unknown language.
JACK. A small coin.
JACK COVE. A mean low fellow.
JACK DANDY. A little impertinent fellow.
JACK KETCH. The hangman. This cognomen for the hangman is of very ancient date. In the year 1682, we find in "Butler's Ghost," p. 54, the following lines:
"Till Ketch observing he was choused,
And in his province much abused;
In open hall the tribute dunned,
To do his office, or refund."
Jack Ketch had not been long appointed to his office; for we find the name of his predecessor (Dun) in the former part of this poem,
"For you, yourself, to act Squire Dun,
Such ignominy ne'er saw the sun."
The addition of "Squire" to Dun's name was an evidence that he had executed some state criminal, which, according to the custom of the times, accorded to him that title. The predecessor of Dun was one Gregory; from whom the gallows was called the "Gregorian tree," and by which name it is mentioned in the prologue to "Mercurius Pragmaticus," tragi-comedy, acted in 1641:
"This trembles under the black rod, and he
Doth fear his fate from the Gregorian tree."
Gregory succeeded Derrick, who flourished in the year 1608, as we find in an old book of that time: "For he rides his circuit with the devil, and Derrick must be his host, and Tyburn the inne at which he will light." "At the gallows where I leave them, as to the haven at which they must all cast anchor, if Derrick's cables do but hold."
JACK OF LEGS. A very tall fellow.
JACK SPRAT. A small fellow.
JACK WRIGHT. A fat fellow.
JACK-GAGGER. A fellow that lives on the prostitution of his wife.
JACK-RUN. A license.
JACKED. Lamed.
JACKET. To show one up; point one out. The fly cops pulled him, and allowed the flat cops to jacket him; so you see it was dusty for him, and I advised him to pike into Daisyville for a few moons until the down blew off.
JADE. A long term of imprisonment.
JAGGER. A gentleman.
JAGUE. A cut; a ditch.
JAM. A gold ring.
JAMMED. Killed; murdered; hanged.
JANASMUG. A go-between; one who goes between the thief and the fence.
JANAZARIES. A mob of pickpockets.
JAPANNED. A convict is said to be japanned when the chaplain pronounces him to be converted.
JARK. A seal.
JARKMAN. One who writes characters for servants, begging petitions, etc., etc.
JARVEY. A driver.
JASKER. A seal.
JAW COVES. Auctioneers, lawyers.
JAZEY. A man with an enormous quantity of hair on his head and face.
JEFFEY. Lightning.
JEM. A gold ring.
JENNEY. A hook on the end of a stick.
JENNY LINDA. A window, pronounced winder.
JERRY. A chamber-pot.
JERRY-SNEAK. A hen-pecked husband.
JESSANY. A man well dressed.
JET AUTUM. A parson.
JEW'S-EYE. A pleasant, agreeable sight.
JIG. A trick.
JIGGER. A door. "Dub the jigger," open the door.
JILT. A prostitute who hugs and kisses a countryman while her accomplice robs him.
JILTER. A sneak-thief.
JINGLEBRAINS. A wild, thoughtless fellow.
JOB. A robbery. "To do a job," to commit a robbery.
JOB. Patience; take time; don't be in a hurry.
JOB'S DOCK. An hospital. "The poor cove is in Job's dock," the poor fellow is in the hospital.
JOBATION. A reproof; painful.
JOBBER-NOT. A tall, ungainly fellow.
JOCK. Enjoy; to enjoy any thing.
JOCKUM GAGE. A chamber-pot.
JOEY. A hypocrite. Sometimes, four.
JOLLY. The head; an excuse; a pretense.
JOMER. A mistress.
JORDAIN. A blow. "I'll tip the Jack Cove a jordain on the jazey, if I transnear him," I'll hit the mean fellow with my club on his big nose, if I get near him.
JORDAN. Disagreeable; hard to be done.
JOSEPH. A coat that's patched; a sheepish, bashful fellow.
JOSEPH'S COAT. Guarded against temptation. "I say, my bene blowen, can't you kiddy the bloke?" "No, Dick, it's of no use trying, he wears a Joseph's coat," I say, my good girl, can't you seduce the man? No, Dick, it's no use trying, he is guarded against temptation.
JOSKIN. A countryman; a silly fellow. "The cove maced the joskin of twenty cases," the fellow cheated the countryman out of twenty dollars.
JUG. A bank.
JUMP. A widow; run away.
JUMPED HIS BAIL. Run away from his bail.
JUMPERS. Fellows that rob houses by getting into windows.
JURK. A seal.