THE JIG IS UP, i. e. the game is up; it is all over with me. The time was when I could cut pigeon wings and perform the double shuffle with precision and activity; but those days are over now—the jig is up. — Kendall, Santa Fé Expedition, Vol. I. p. 62. JIGAMAREE. A trivial or nonsensical thing. A factitious word, equivalent to "jiggumbob" and "thingumbob." It is explained in the English glossaries to mean a manœuvre, a trick. He is also the inwentor of the "housekeeper's friend," that ere jigamaree the wimmin scrubs with, instead of going on their hands and knees as they used to. N. Y. Spirit of the Times. I went over t'other night to see them all, as they was as busy as bees in a tar barrel sowin' and makin' up finery. Mary was sowin' something mighty fine with ruffles and jigamarees all around it. - Major Jones's Courtship. JIGGER. 1. See Chigoe. 2. A small fishing vessel. New England. JIGGLING-BOARD. A board the ends of which are placed upon frames or stools, upon which a person stands and springs up- also called a jolly board. JOHNNY-CAKE. A cake made of Indian meal mixed with milk or water. A New England Johnny-cake is invariably spread upon the stave of a barrel-top, and baked before the fire. Sometimes stewed pumpkin is mixed with it. Some talk of hoe-cake, fair Virginia's pride; Rich Johnny-cake this mouth has often tried. Both please me well, their virtues much the same; Alike their fabric, as allied their fame, Except in dear New England, where the last JOHNNY JUMP UP AND KISS ME. ER. Joel Barlow, Poem on Hasty Pudding. JOHNNY JUMP UP. JOHNNY JUMP Names given to the Heart's Ease, or Violet. This name is also given to the breastbone of a goose, with its two ends brought together by a twisted string held by a stick passing through it and stuck fast at the end by a piece of wax. JORNADA. (Spanish.) A march or journey performed in a day. In the interior it is only applied to a long reach of desert country without water, and not to a day's journey; as the "Jornada del Muerto" in New Mexico, which is ninety miles across, and which it takes several days to traverse. If experiments with Artesian wells should prove successful, the progress of agriculture in New Mexico would be more rapid, and even many dreaded jornadas might be changed from waterless deserts into cultivated plains. — Wislizenus, New Mexico. Until the autumn of 1849, the California desert was found to be a sandy and dreary jornada, without water or grass.- Captain Whipple's Explorations, R. R. Survey. JOSEY. A loose, light upper garment, with sleeves and a short skirt, now worn by women and girls. Both the dress and the name are contractions of the old-fashioned Joseph. JOUR, or JUR. An abbreviation of the word journeyman. "The boss quarrelled with the jurs," i. e. the master quarrelled with his journey men. JUBA. One of the classical names often given to negroes by their masters. "Clapping Juba" is keeping time by striking the feet on the floor and clapping the hands on the legs to the music of the banjo. It adds much to the excitement of the rustic dances at the South. Here we saw rare sport! Here were Virginia slaves, dancing jigs and clapping Juber, over a barrel of persimmon beer, to the notes of the banjo.- Southern Sketches, p. 98. Juber up and Juber down, Juber dis and Juber dat, And Juber round de simmon vat. Hoe corn and hill tobacco, Get over double trouble, Juber boys, Juber! — Ibid. p. 101. JUDAS TREE. See Red Bud. JUDGES OF THE PLAINS. A translation of the Spanish Jueces del Campo. In California there are, by law, appointed certain persons in every county, whose duty it is to attend all the rodeos, or gatherings of cattle, whether for the purpose of marking or branding, or for separating the cattle, when called upon by any ranchero, farmer, or owner of stock. These are called Judges of the Plains, and have the power to decide all disputes connected with the ownership of horses, mules, or horned cattle.-Laws of California. See Rodeo. JUDICIARY. The judiciary power, or the power that administers justice; judicature. Judge Story. This word is often used as a substantive in the United States; but is not often so used in England. - Worcester. JUDY. "To make a judy of one's self" is what, with more vigor than politeness, is termed making an ass of one's self. The Boston Chronotype, in speaking of the bad management and confusion at the Water celebration, says: It is thought that a set of men never did make greater Judies of themselves. JUGFULL. "Not by a jugfull," is a phrase commonly used to mean, not by a great deal, by no means. Downingville is as sweet as a rose. But 'taint so in New York, not by a jugfull. - Major Downing, May-day in New York. He wished to state of the pro-slavery men of Kansas, so that their friends in Missouri might see into their plans and policy, they had not abandoned the idea of making Kansas a slave State, by a jug full.-P. T. Able's Speech, July, 1857. JULEP. A drink, composed of brandy or whiskey with sugar, pounded ice, and some sprigs of mint. Hoffman brings the gods together on Mount Olympus, after their last butt of nectar had run out, to taste mint juleps: JUMP. The draught was delicious, each god did exclaim, Though something yet wanting they all did bewail; When Jove himself added a handful of hail. "From the jump" is a phrase meaning, from the start, from the beginning. Here is a whole string of Democrats, all of whom had been going the whole hog for Cass from the jump, without regard to our adherence or opposition to Taylor. — N. Y. Tribune, Nov. 11, 1848. TO JUMP A CLAIM, in Western parlance, is to endeavor to obtain possession of the land or "claim" which has been taken up and occupied by a settler, or "squatter," in a new country. The first occupant is, by squatter law and custom, entitled to the first claim on the land. Sometimes dishonest men attempt to deprive the squatter of his rights, which often leads to bloodshed. If a man jumped my claim, and encroached on my boundaries, and I did n't knock him on the head with a pickaxe, I appealed to the crowd, and, my claim being carefully measured and found correct, the jumper would be ordered to confine himself to his own territory.-F. Marryat, Mountains and Molehills, p. 217. At Florence, Nebraska Territory, on the 26th of May, seven men were arrested by a mob, for what is called claim jumping—that is, settling down on sections of land already entered or claimed by other persons. They were tried by a club association, and condemned to death by hanging; but the urgent entreaties of their families averted the execution of the infamous sentence. · Boston Traveller. JUMPER. 1. One who takes a squatter's claim. 2. A couple of hickory poles so bent that the runners and shafts are of the same piece, with a crate placed on four props, complete this primitive species of sledge; and when the crate is filled with hay, and the driver well wrapped in a buffalo robe, the "turn out" is about as comfortable a one as a man could wish. - Hoffman, Winter in the West, p. 200. JUNK-BOTTLE. The ordinary black glass porter bottle. K. KAMAS ROOT. (Camassia esculenta). Breadroot. The Pomme des Prairies or Pomme Blanche of the Canadians, and Prairie Turnip of the hunters and trappers of the West. It is very extensively used as food by the Digger Indians. KANACKA. A native of the Sandwich Islands. Kanaka is the Sandwich California. Island word for " man." KANTICOY. See Canticoy. KARIMPTION. A squad. Western. A whole karimption of Dutch emigrants were landed here yesterday. — Cairo, Illinois, Times. KATOWSE. (Germ. Getöse.) A din, tumult, rumpus; as, "What a katowse you are making!" New England. KATYDID. (Platyphyllum concavum.) The popular name of a species of grasshopper; so called from its peculiar note. Two of them will chirp alternately from different trees, one saying, Katy did! and the other replying with equal positiveness, Katy did n't! At least, so their conversation is interpreted by the children. I sit among the leaves here, When evening zephyrs sigh, I love to mystify. I never tell them all I know, Altho' I'm often hid, I laugh at curiosity, And chirrup Katy did.- Ethiopian Songs. I love to hear thine earnest voice, Wherever thou art hid, Thou testy little dogmatist, Thou pretty Katydid. - O. W. Holmes' Poems. Nature was fast asleep, and not a sound interrupted the solemn stillness, save the pitiful plaint of a lovelorn Katydid, or an occasional yawl from some sacrilegious cat. Dow's Sermons, Vol. III. KAY, CAY, KEY. (Span. cayo.) A small island or rock in the sea. The term is generally applied to those on the Florida coast. KECHUG! Or KERCHUG! Whop! The noise made by popping into the water. See the observations on interjections of this sort under Cachunk. A modern poet, in speaking of the plunge of a frog, thus makes use of the word: You see him sitting on a log Above the vasty deep; You feel inclined to say, "Old Chap, You raise your cane to hit him on His ugly looking mug, But ere you get it half way up, Adown he goes — kerchug! KEDGE. Brisk; in good health and spirits. Ex. "How do you do today?" "I am pretty kedge." It is used only in a few of the country towns of New England. - Pickering. Provincial in England. KEEL-BOAT. A description of vessel formerly used on the Mississippi and its tributaries. It is thus described by Flint: "The keel-boat is of a long, slender, and elegant form, and generally carries from fifteen to thirty tons. Its advantage is in its small draft of water, and the lightness of its construction. It is still used [1832] on the Ohio and Upper Mississippi in low stages of water, and on all the boatable streams where steamboats do not yet run. Its propelling power is by oars, sails, setting poles, the cordelle, and, when the waters are high and the boat runs on the margin of the bushes, 'bush-whacking,' or pulling up by the bushes." -History and Geography of Mississippi Valley. TO KEEL OVER. A nautical phrase, meaning to capsize or upset, and metaphorically applied to a sudden prostration. As it seems pretty evident that the sovereigns of Europe, instead of occupying or sharing thrones, are predestined to the walks of private life, it would be highly proper to cultivate in them a spirit of self-abnegation and humility. If the royal parents wish to see their offspring "let down easy" from their high estate, they will adopt this course. Keel over they must, and a gradual careen would be much better than a sudden capsize. Now that the people are assuming the rights and privileges of sovereignty, we trust that they will have some consideration for princes in distress.-N. Y. Sunday Despatch. TO KEEL Up. To turn bottom up. A seaman's phrase, like the preced ing. When we get keeled up, that will be the last of us. P. 116. - Mrs. Stowe, Dred, Vol. I. KEENER. A very shrewd person, one sharp at a bargain, what in England would be called "a keen hand." Western. KEEP. Food, subsistence, keeping. In a letter to his brother, Bishop Heber, speaking of Bishops' College costing so much, says: Besides, it has turned out so expensive in the monthly bills and necessary keep of its inmates, that my resources, etc. Vol. II. p. 319. |