Jerkey, subs. (American).—A roughly-made vehicle; a boneshaker (q.v.).
Jeroboam, subs. (common).—1. A
four-fold measure of wine; a double-magnum
(q.v.); one especially apt
to 'cause Israel to sin' [See
I Kings, xi. 28]. Also a large
bowl or goblet.
1880. H. S. Cumings, (quoted in Century). The corporation of Ludlow formerly possessed a jeroboam which was used as a . . . loving cup.
2. See Jerry sense 1.
Jerran, adv. (Australian).—Concerned.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, chap. 41. When I saw the mob there was I didn't see so much to be jerran about.
Jerry, subs. (common).—1. A
chamber-pot; a jeroboam. For
synonyms see It.
2. (old).—A hat: formerly Tom & Jerry hat (q.v.); a hard, round hat; a pot-hat.
1841. Punch, i. 98. 2. Displaying to the greatest advantage those unassuming castors designated jerrys.
1864. Le Fanu, Uncle Silas, viii. A rather fat and flashily equipped young man, with large, light whiskers, a jerry hat, green cutaway coat.
3. (printers').—A celebration of the completion of indentures. Fr. un roulance.
4. (thieves').—A watch. For synonyms see Ticker. Fr. une babillarde.
1889. Richardson, Police, p. 321. .v.
5. (thieves').—A fog, or mist.—De Vaux (1819).
Adj. (common).—As an adjectival prefix Jerry is frequently used in contempt: e.g. jerry-go-nimble, jerry-shop, jerry-builder (all which and others see). [An abbreviation of Jeremiah: perhaps a Restoration jibe upon the Puritan use of Old Testament names; but see Jerry-builder].
Verb. (common).—To jibe; to chaff with malice.
Jerry-builder, subs. (common).—rascally
speculating builder.
Jerry-built, adj. = run up in
the worst materials. [The use
of the term arose in Liverpool
circa 1830].
1883. Daily Telegraph, 23 Mar., p. 6, col. 1. But the jerry builder is a man of enterprise and energy, and promptly showed himself equal to the occasion. Ibid, Ap. 5, p. 2, col. 1. 'Houses, of the jerry-built sort especially, when the builders have a difficulty in raising money to finish 'em, are singularly liable to catch fire.'
1884. Pall Mall Gazette, 15 Feb., Two lumps of plaster, fall from the roof of the jerry-built palace; then the curse begins to work.
1889. Ally Sloper's Half-Holiday, 3 Aug., p. 242, col. 3. 'Well, sir,' said a jerry builder, 'I don't think as 'ow it's right on you to be a-runnin' the house down as you do.'
1889. Daily Chronicle, 15. Feb. The vestries and district local boards, in fact, have been dominated too much by jerry-builders and house-jobbers.
1891. Sportsman, 21 April, p. 2, col. 1. She lives in a jerry-built house.
1891. J. Newman, Scamping Tricks, 119. It was in the days when every jerry-builder thought he was a railway and dock contractor.
1893. St. James's Gazette, 2 Nov., p. 4, col. 2. All this loss of life and all this fearful suffering are to be laid at the door of scamping jerry-builders or of careless employers.
Jerrycummumble, verb. (old).—To
shake; to tumble about; to towzle.—Grose
(1785).
