Defn: A stone, commonly of a pale to dark green color but sometimes whitish. It is very hard and compact, capable of fine polish, and is used for ornamental purposes and for implements, esp. in Eastern countries and among many early peoples.
Note: The general term jade includes nephrite, a compact variety of tremolite with a specific gravity of 3, and also the mineral jadeite, a silicate of alumina and soda, with a specific gravity of 3.3. The latter is the more highly prized and includes the feitsui of the Chinese. The name has also been given to other tough green minerals capable of similar use.
JADE
Jade, n. Etym: [OE. jade; cf. Prov. E. yaud, Scot. yade, yad, yaud,
Icel. jalda a mare.]
1. A mean or tired horse; a worthless nag. Chaucer. Tired as a jade in overloaden cart. Sir P. Sidney.
2. A disreputable or vicious woman; a wench; a quean; also, sometimes, a worthless man. Shak. She shines the first of battered jades. Swift.
3. A young woman; — generally so called in irony or slight contempt. A souple jade she was, and strang. Burns.
JADE
Jade, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Jading.]
1. To treat like a jade; to spurn. [Obs.] Shak.
2. To make ridiculous and contemptible. [Obs.] I do now fool myself, to let imagination jade me. Shak.
3. To exhaust by overdriving or long-continued labor of any kind; to tire or wear out by severe or tedious tasks; to harass. The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, . . . checks at any vigorous undertaking ever after. Locke.