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Jazz Age, the
traditional CULTURE, such as GEISHAS (=traditional female
entertainers) wearing beautiful KIMONOS and SUMO WRES-
TLERS.
Japan, the Sea of the sea that separates Japan from Korea
and the MAINLAND of Asia. In Korea, it is called the East Sea.
Jap·a·nese¹ /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/ n 1 [U] the language of
Japan 2 the Japanese people from Japan
Japanese² adj from or connected with Japan
Japanese lantern n a paper decoration, usually with a
light inside
jape /dʒeɪp/ n old-fash a playful trick
ja·pon·i·ca /dʒəˈpɒnɪkə||ˈpɑː-/ n [C;U] a decorative bush
with red or white flowers
jar¹ /dʒɑːr/ n 1 à short-necked wide-mouthed pot or bottle
made of glass, stone, clay etc: a jam jar 2 also jar·ful /-fʊl/ —
the amount a jar will hold: For this recipe you need a whole
jar of marmalade.
jar² v -rr- 1 [(on)] to upset by making an unpleasant sound:
This experimental music jars (on my nerves) somewhat. 2 [T]
to shake unpleasantly: The fall jarred every bone in my
body. 3 [(with)] to be in noticeable opposition; not match;
CLASH: jarring opinions/colours
jar³ n (something that causes) an unpleasant shaking sensa-
tion: We felt a jar as the wheels hit a bump.
jar·gon /ˈdʒɑːgən||ˈdʒɑːrgən, -gɑːn/ n [C;U] often derog diffi-
cult or strange language which uses words known only to
the members of a certain group: computer jargon | the jargon
of the advertising business
Jarls·berg /ˈjɑːlzbɜːg||jɑːrlzbːrg/ trademark a type of hard,
pale yellow cheese made in Norway, which has holes in it and
is known for its mild (=not strong) taste
Jar·man, Der·ek /ˈdʒɑːmən||ˈdʒɑːr-, ˈderɪk/ (1942-94) a
British artist, writer, and film DIRECTOR, who was known for
being HOMOSEXUAL, and whose unusual and original films,
including Sebastiane (1975), Caravaggio (1986), and Edward II
(1991), often contained homosexual characters
Jar·row /ˈdʒærəʊ/ an industrial town in northeast England
on the River TYNE, where ships were built and steel was made
until 1930, when many people lost their jobs as a result of the
GREAT DEPRESSION. In 1936 many unemployed people
walked from Jarrow to London as a protest, in what was
known as the Jarrow March. This was the most famous of the
HUNGER MARCHes of the 1920s and 1930s in the UK.
Jar·u·zel·ski, Woj·ciech /ˌjærʊˈzelski, ˈvɔjtʃek/ (1923-)
a Polish general and leader who was president of Poland
from 1985 until 1989. He did not allow any opposition or
TRADE UNION activity but was forced to accept changes after
the elections in 1989.
jas·mine /ˈdʒæzmɪn/ n [C;U] a climbing plant with sweet-
smelling white or yellow flowers
Ja·son /ˈdʒeɪsən/ in ancient Greek stories, a HERO who sailed
with a group of men called the ARGONAUTS in the ship Argo
to find the GOLDEN FLEECE. Together they had many exciting
adventures. The story was made into a film called Jason and
the Argonauts.
Jason, David (1940-) a British actor who has appeared in
many television shows, and is especially known for playing
the character Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses
jas·per /ˈdʒæspər/ n [U] a decorative red, yellow, or brown
stone, not of great value
jaun·dice /ˈdʒɔndɪs||ˈdʒɔːn-, ˈdʒɑːn-/ n [U] a medical con-
dition in which the skin, the white part of the eyes etc turn
yellow
jaun·diced /ˈdʒɔndɪst||ˈdʒɔːn-, ˈdʒɑːn-/ adj 1 often derog
tending to judge people and things unfavourably, especially
(as if) from long and disappointing experience of human
affairs: jaundiced opinions | a jaundiced view of life | He looks
on these modern ideas with a rather jaundiced eye. 2 rare
suffering from jaundice
jaunt /dʒɔːnt||dʒɔːnt, dʒɑːnt/ n a short journey for pleasure:
We're going on/for a little jaunt to the seaside this afternoon.
—jaunt v [I]
jaun·ty /ˈdʒɔnti||ˈdɔːnti, ˈdʒɑːnti/ adj (showing that one
feels) cheerful, confident, and pleased with life: a jaunty
hat/person/wave of the hand —tily adv —tiness n [U]
Ja·va¹ /ˈdʒɑːvə/ an island which is part of Indonesia. It is
not the largest of the Indonesian islands, but it includes the
capital, Jakarta, and it has the highest population.
—Javanese /ˌdʒævəˈniːz/ n, adj
Java² trademark a type of computer language developed by SUN
MICROSYSTEMS and used especially to operate PROGRAMS on
the INTERNET. It is used, for example, to help provide VIDEO
and film on the WORLD-WIDE WEB
jav·e·lin /ˈdʒævəlɪn/ n a light spear for throwing, now used
mostly in sport
jaw¹ /dʒɔ/ n 1 [C] either of the two bony parts of the face in
which the teeth are set: the upper/lower jaw ➔ see picture at
HEAD 2 [C] the appearance of the lower jaw: A strong square
jaw is supposed to be a sign of firm character. 3 [C;U] infml,
sometimes derog (a) talk: We hadn't seen each other for months,
and we sat down for a good jaw. ➔ see also JAWS 4 some·
one's jaw dropped used in order to say that someone is
very surprised: Joseph's jaw dropped when he saw his son's
face, bruised and bloody. | She'd kept the dress hidden from
him until the night of the party, and she was pleased to see
how his jaw dropped when he saw her in it.
jaw² v [(AWAY)] infml, sometimes derog 1 to talk: They've been
jawing away for hours. 2 to jaw-jaw is better than to
war-war quote a phrase originally spoken by Winston
CHURCHILL during the COLD WAR, and often used by some-
body who thinks that discussion e.g. of political problems is
better than fighting or other violent action
jaw·bone /ˈdʒɔːbən/ n either of the big bones of the jaws,
especially the lower jaw
jaw·break·er /ˈdʒɔːˌbreɪkər/ n infml 1 a word that is hard to
pronounce 2 AmE infml a hard round piece of CANDY
jaw·line /ˈdʒɔːlaɪn/ n the shape of the lower part of some-
one's face: a square jawline
jaws /dʒɔːz/ n [P] 1 the mouth of a (fierce) animal: The
crocodile opened its jaws/clamped its jaws shut. | (fig.) to escape
from the jaws of death (=from a situation in which one
might have been killed) 2 the two parts of a machine or tool,
especially a VICE between which something can be held
tightly or crushed
Jaws (1975) an exciting and frightening US film made by
Steven SPIELBERG, about a SHARK (=a large dangerous fish)
that kills people who go swimming in the sea and then tries
to kill a group of men who go out in a boat to catch it
Jaws of Life, the trademark a tool used to make a hole in a
car, truck etc after an accident, so that the people inside can
be taken out
jay /dʒeɪ/ n a noisy brightly coloured bird of the CROW family
➔ see also BLUE JAY
Jay·cee /ˌdʒeɪˈsiː/ a member of an organization with
branches in many towns and cities in the US. They are called
the Jaycees from the letters JC, an abbreviation for JUNIOR
CHAMBER (OF COMMERCE), and they encourage useful and
interesting activities for local people.
Jay 'Kay (1969-) a British POP musician who is the main
singer with the band Jamiroquai. He is known for wearing
different types of hat and for driving fast cars.
jay·walk /ˈdʒeɪwɔːk/ v [I] to cross streets in a careless and
dangerous way, especially in the wrong place or without
paying attention to the traffic lights. Jaywalking is against the
law in some countries and most states of America but the
police usually do not stop people for it. If someone is picked
up for jaywalking it is usually because the police want them
for some other reason. —er n
jazz¹ /dʒæz/ n [U] 1 music with a strong beat and some free
playing by each musician, originated by black Ameri-
cans 2 AmE slang empty meaningless talk, especially if used to
confuse or deceive 3 and all that jazz slang, usually derog and
other things like that: I'm fed up with being told about rules,
responsibilities, duties, and all that jazz.
jazz² v
jazz sthg. ⇔ up phr v [T] infml to make more active,
interesting, or enjoyable, often with cheap bright decora-
tion: to jazz up the room with some bright red curtains
'Jazz Age, the a period of about ten years, after World War I,
when JAZZ music became very popular and fashionable. It is