Jews-poker, subs. (common).—See quot.
1891. Lloyd's Weekly, 17 May, p. 11, col. 4. Deceased used to get her living lighting the Jews' fires on Saturdays. She was what is known as a Jews' poker.
Jezebel, subs. (colloquial).—1. An
objectionable woman; a termagant
or shrew. [From the wife of
Ahab.]
1553. Bradford, Writings &c. p. 36 (1853). The papists . . . are cast into Jezebel's bed of security.
1601. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, ii. 5. Fie on him, Jezebel.
1677. Butler, Hudibras III, iii, 194. To win the Jezebel.
1711. Spectator, No. 175. My lodgings are directly opposite those of a Jezebel.
1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, xlvii. 'Lord curse that chattering Jezebel of a landlady, who advised such a preposterous disguise!'
1771. Smollett, Humphry Clinker, L. 52. They hissed and hooted all the way; and Mrs. Jenkins was all bespattered with dirt, as well as insulted with the opprobrious name of painted Jezebel.
1857. A. Trollope, Barchester Towers, xi. 'Mr. Slope,' said Mrs. Proudie, catching the delinquent at the door, 'I am surprised that you should leave my company to attend on such a painted Jezebel as that.'
2. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms see Creamstick and Prick.
Jib, subs. (colloquial).—1. The face:
the cut of one's jib = the
peculiar or characteristic appearance
of a person.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, i. 22. If she disliked what sailors call the cut of their jib . . . none so likely as they to give them what in her country is called a sloan.
1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, ii. I axes you because I see you're a sailor by the cut of your jib.
1838-40. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 3, S. iv. For I seed by the cut of the feller's jib that he was a preacher.
1836. M. Scott, Cruise of the Midge. A good seaman evidently, by the cut of his jib.
1881. Buchanan, God & the Man, xvi. By the voice of you, by the rigs of you, and by the cut of your precious jib.
1884. Clark Russell, Jack's Courtship, iii. 'My democratic wide-*awake, and the republican cut of my jib,' said he, looking down at his clothes.
2. (Dublin university).—A first-year's man.
1841. Lever, Charles O'Malley, xiv. 'There [referring to Trinity College Freshmen] . . . are jibs, whose names are neither known to the proctor nor the police-office.'
3. (vet's.).—A horse given to shying; a jibber.
1851. H. Mayhew, London Lab. & Lon. Poor, vol. i. p. 189. Frequently young horses that will not work in cabs—such as jibs—are sold to the horse-slaughterers as useless.
Verb. (colloquial).—1. To shirk; to funk (q.v.); to cut (q.v.).—Lex. Bal. (1811).
2. (common).—To depart; to be off. For synonyms see Amputate and Skedaddle.
To be jibbed, verb. phr. (Christ's Hospital).—To be called over the coals; to get into trouble; to be twigged (q.v.).
Jib-of-jibs, subs. (nautical).—An impossible sail—a star-gazer (q.v.) or sky-scraper (q.v.).
Jibb, subs. (Old Cant).—1. The
tongue: hence (2) language;
speech.
Jibber the Kibber. See Kibber.
Jibe, verb. (American).—To agree;
to live in harmony; to jump (q.v.).
