jayn.
/dʒeɪ/, U.S. /dʒeɪ/ 1.
a. The name of a common European bird, Garrulus glandarius, in structure and noisy chattering resembling the magpie, but in habits arboreal, and having a plumage of striking appearance, in which vivid tints of blue are heightened by bars of jet-black and patches of white. Hence used as the English name of the genus Garrulus, and applied with distinguishing additions to the other species.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > family Corvidae (crow) > [noun] > genus Garrulus
jaya1350
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > family Corvidae (crow) > [noun] > genus Garrulus > garrulus glandarius (jay)
jaya1350
Canada jay1792
jay pie1880
jaybird1881
jay-piet1895
a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 49 Heo is dereworþe in day,..gentil, iolyf so þe iay.
c1386 G. Chaucer Manciple's Tale 28 And taughte it speke as men teche a Iay.
1412–13 T. Hoccleve Balade to Henry V 37 My wordes..clappe and iangle foorth, as dooth a iay.
1559 D. Lindsay Test. Papyngo l. 725 in Wks. (1931) I The gentyll Ia, the Merle, and Turtur trew.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. viii. sig. T3v Decked with diuerse plumes, like painted Iayes.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) iv. iii. 173 What is the Iay more precious then the Larke? Because his feathers are more beautifull. View more context for this quotation
1746–7 J. Hervey Medit. (1818) 43 Not long ago I happened to spy a thoughtless jay; the poor bird was idly busied in dressing his pretty plumes.
1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 77 Jays..may be brought to imitate the human voice.
1880 A. R. Wallace Island Life ii. 20 There are, so far as yet known, twelve species of true jays.
1893 A. Newton et al. Dict. Birds: Pt. II 470 Doubts may be expressed whether these birds are not more nearly related to the Pies than to the Jays.
b. In more extended sense, applied to birds of the sub-family Garrulinæ or family Garrulidæ, among which are the Canada jay, grey jay, green jay, Siberian jay, etc.See also blue jay n.
ΚΠ
1694 Philos. Trans. 1693 (Royal Soc.) 17 991 The Pica Glandarea, or Jay, is much less than our English Jay..it has both the same Cry, and suddain jetting Motion.
1838 Encycl. Brit. XVI. 584/2 A most magnificent bird is the Columbia jay.
1855 H. W. Longfellow Hiawatha xiii. 180 Jays and ravens, Clamorous on the dusky tree-tops.
1886 H. Yule & A. C. Burnell Hobson-Jobson Jay, the name usually given by Europeans to the Coracias Indica, Linn., the Nīlkant or ‘blue~throat’ of the Hindus, found all over India.
1893 A. Newton et al. Dict. Birds: Pt. II 469 The Lanius infaustus of Linnæus..the Siberian Jay of English writers, which ranges throughout the pine-forests of the north of Europe and Asia.
1893 A. Newton et al. Dict. Birds: Pt. II 469 The Canada Jay, or ‘Whiskey Jack’..presents a still more sombre coloration.
2. Applied to other birds:
a. The Jackdaw (apparently from a French mistransl. of κόλοιος or graculus in the fable of the jackdaw decked in peacock's plumes).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > family Corvidae (crow) > [noun] > genus Corvus > corvus monedula (jackdaw)
choughc1305
coc1325
kae1340
caddow1440
daw?a1475
jay1484
jackdaw1543
caddesse1565
pilledow1603
Jack1651
sea-crow1897
1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope ii. xv The xv fable is of the Iaye and of the pecok.
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Iaye, byrde, gracus, graculus.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Graculus They are much deceyued that haue taken Graculus for a Iaye.]
1628 G. Wither Britain's Remembrancer Pref. 129 The Jay that vaunts In others plumes.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Jay, or Jack-daw, a kind of chattering Bird.
b. The Cornish chough, also termed Cornish jay.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > family Corvidae (crow) > [noun] > genus Pyrrhocorax > species graculus (chough)
cowec1230
Cornish crow1552
chough1553
sea-crow1579
killigrew1668
sea-chough1672
Cornish jay1750
red-legged crow1776
red-legged chough1831
1750 R. Pococke Trav. (Camden) 135 About Penzance, in the rocks, are jays with red bills and legs, called a Cornish jay, and by Pliny Pyrrhocorax.
c. The Missel thrush. local.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > family Muscicapidae (thrushes, etc.) > subfamily Turdinae > [noun] > genus Turdus (thrush) > turdus viscivorus (mistle-thrush)
song thrush1598
mistle-bird1626
mistle thrush1646
shreitch1668
shrite1668
mistletoe thrush1719
storm cock1769
wood-thrush1791
rain-fowl1817
thrice-cock1819
mistle1845
hollin cock1848
fen-thrush1854
storm thrush1854
shirlcock1859
fell-thrush1879
felt1879
jay1880
jay pie1880
Norman thrush1885
stone-thrush1885
1880 W. H. Patterson Gloss. Words Antrim & Down Jay, the missel thrush is called the jay here. The jay does not occur.
3. transferred.
Thesaurus »
a. An impertinent chatterer.
Thesaurus »
b. A showy or flashy woman; one of light character.
c. A person absurdly dressed; a gawk or ‘sight’.
d. A stupid or silly person; a simpleton.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > fool, simpleton > [noun]
boinarda1300
daffc1325
goky1377
nicea1393
unwiseman1400
totc1425
alphinc1440
dawc1500
hoddypeak1500
dawpatea1529
hoddypolla1529
noddy1534
kimec1535
coxcomb1542
sheep1542
sheep's head1542
goose1547
dawcock1556
nodgecock1566
peak-goosea1568
hottie tottie?c1570
Tom Towly1582
wittol1588
goose-cap1589
nodgecomb1592
ninny1593
chicken1600
fopdoodle16..
hoddy-noddy1600
hoddy-doddy1601
peagoose1606
fopster1607
nazold1607
nupson1607
wigeon1607
fondrel1613
simpleton1639
pigwidgeon1640
simpletonian1652
Tony1654
nizy1673
Simple Simon?1673
Tom Farthing1674
totty-head1680
cockcomb1684
cod1699
nikin1699
sap-pate1699
simpkin1699
mackninnya1706
gilly-gaupus?1719
noodle1720
sapskull1735
gobbin?1746
Judy1781
zanya1784
spoony1795
sap-head1798
spoon1799
gomerel1814
sap1815
neddy1818
milestone1819
sunket1823
sunketa1825
gawp1825
gawpy1825
gawpus1826
Tomnoddy1826
Sammy1828
tammie norie1828
Tommy1828
gom1834
noodlehead1835
nowmun1854
gum-sucker1855
flat-head1862
peggy1869
noodledum1883
jay1884
toot1888
peanut head1891
simp1903
sappyhead1922
Arkie1927
putz1928
steamer1932
jerk-off1939
drongo1942
galah1945
Charley1946
nong-nong1959
mouth-breather1979
twonk1981
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adjective]
dizzyc825
unwisec825
redelessOE
unwittyc1000
daftlikec1175
witlessc1175
canga1225
adoted?c1225
cangun?c1225
egedec1225
cangeda1250
foola1250
snepea1250
aerwittec1275
sotlyc1275
unslyc1275
unwitterc1275
unwilya1300
nicec1300
goosishc1374
unskilfulc1374
follyc1380
lewdc1380
mis-feelinga1382
dottlec1390
foltedc1390
peevishc1400
fona1425
fonnishc1425
foliousa1450
foolisha1450
daft?c1450
doitedc1450
dotyc1450
daffish1470
insapientc1470
gucked?a1500
wanwittya1500
furious1526
insipient1528
seelya1529
dawish?1529
foolage1545
momish1546
base-wittedc1547
stultitiousa1549
follifulc1550
senseless1565
mopish1568
fondish1579
unsensiblea1586
fondly1587
dizzardly1594
follial1596
featlessc1598
fopperly1599
gowkeda1605
inept1604
simple1604
anserine1607
foppish1608
silly ass1608
unsage1608
wisdomless1608
fool-beggeda1616
Gotham1621
noddy1645
badot1653
dosser-headed1655
infrunite1657
nonsensicalc1661
slight1663
sappy1670
datelessa1686
noddy-peaked1694
nizy1709
dottled1772
gypit1804
shay-brained1806
folly-stricken1807
fool-like1811
goosy1811
spoony1813
niddle-noddle1821
gumptionless1823
daftish1825
anserous1826
as crazy as a loon1830
spoonish1833
cheese-headed1836
dotty1860
fool-fool1868
noodly1870
dilly1873
gormless1883
daffy1884
monkey-doodle1886
mosy1887
jay1891
pithecanthropic1897
peanut-headed1906
dinlo1907
boob1911
goofy1921
ding-a-ling1935
jerky1944
jerk1947
jerkish1948
pointy-headed1950
doofus1967
twitty1967
twittish1969
nerkish1975
numpty1992
1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell 1262 For the gyse now adays Of sum iangelyng iays Is to discommende What they cannot amende.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) iii. iv. 49 Some Iay of Italy..hath betraid him. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) iii. iii. 38 We'll teach him to know Turtles from Iayes . View more context for this quotation
1639 J. Shirley Ball ii. sig. D Sol. Mr. Bostocke Madam. Luc. Retire, and give the Iay admittance.
1880 S. Baring-Gould Mehalah I. vii. 126 You stood by..and listened while that jay snapped and screamed at me.
1884 Pall Mall Gaz. 29 Dec. 4/2 The intending larcenist will strike up a conversation with a likely looking Jay in a public conveyance..and win his friendship.
1888 N.Y. Herald Sept. in J. S. Farmer Dict. Americanisms Never..have I been annoyed in the slightest way by any of the so-called jays.
1891 H. C. Bunner Short Sixes 91 'T ain't neuralogy, you jay pillbox, she's cooked!
1898 Westm. Gaz. 7 Oct. 4/2 ‘Kharki is not exactly a blanket; besides, we are jays enough as it is, and if we had had our old things on we should have been regular jays’.
1900 Dundee Advertiser 30 July 4 An underbred undergraduate—called in America a ‘jay’.
4. Angling. Name of a variety of artificial fly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > means of attracting fish > [noun] > artificial fly > types of
moor flylOE
drake-flya1450
dub-flya1450
dun cut1496
dun fly1496
louper1496
red fly1616
moorish fly1635
palmer1653
palmer fly1653
red hackle1653
red palmer1653
shell-fly1653
orange fly1662
blackfly1669
dun1676
dun hackle1676
hackle1676
mayfly1676
peacock fly1676
thorn-tree fly1676
turkey-fly1676
violet-fly1676
whirling dun1676
badger fly1681
greenfly1686
moorish brown1689
prime dun1696
sandfly1700
grey midge1724
whirling blue1747
dun drake?1758
death drake1766
hackle fly1786
badger1787
blue1787
brown-fly1787
camel-brown1787
spinner1787
midge1799
night-fly1799
thorn-fly1799
turkey1799
withy-fly1799
grayling fly1811
sun fly1820
cock-a-bondy1835
brown moth1837
bunting-lark fly1837
governor1837
water-hen hackle1837
Waterloo fly1837
coachman1839
soldier palmer1839
blue jay1843
red tag1850
canary1855
white-tip1856
spider1857
bumble1859
doctor1860
ibis1863
Jock Scott1866
eagle1867
highlander1867
jay1867
John Scott1867
judge1867
parson1867
priest1867
snow-fly1867
Jack Scott1874
Alexandra1875
silver doctor1875
Alexandra fly1882
grackle1894
grizzly queen1894
heckle-fly1897
Zulu1898
thunder and lightning1910
streamer1919
Devon1924
peacock1950
1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling xi. 370 The Blue Jay..is the blue doctor dressed with jay.
5. Coal Mining. (See quot.)
ΚΠ
1829 S. Glover Hist. County of Derby I. 59 Strong jay or roof coal.
1829 S. Glover Hist. County of Derby I. 60 Black jay, a sort of cannel coal.
Compounds
C1. General attributive jaybird n., etc.
jay-black adj.
ΚΠ
1706 London Gaz. No. 4236/8 Stolen..a black Mare, but not Jay-black.
jay-like adj.
ΚΠ
1880 Duke of Argyll in Fraser's Mag. Jan. 49 The large Belted Kingfisher..was passing with a Jay-like flight over the creeks..of the Hudson.
C2. attributive or as adj. in sense 3, dull, unsophisticated; inferior, poor (U.S. colloquial).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > feeling of weariness or tedium > [adjective] > wearisome or tedious
dreicha1300
alangec1330
joylessa1400
tedious1412
wearifulc1454
weary1465
laboriousa1475
tiresome?a1513
irksome1513
wearisome1530
woodena1566
irkful1570
flat1573
leaden1593
barren1600
soaked1600
unlively1608
dulla1616
irking1629
drearisome1633
drear1645
plumbous1651
fatigable1656
dreary1667
uncurious1685
unenlivened1692
blank1726
disinteresting1737
stupid1748
stagnant1749
trist?1756
vegetable1757
borish1766
uninteresting1769
unenlivening1774
oorie1787
wearying1796
subjectless1803
yawny1805
wearing1811
stuffy1813
sloomy1820
tediousome1823
arid1827
lacklustrous1834
boring1839
featureless1839
slow1840
sodden1853
ennuying1858
dusty1860
cabbagy1861
old1864
mouldy1876
yawnful1878
drab1880
dehydrated1884
interestless1886
jay1889
boresome1895
stodgy1895
stuffy1895
yawnsome1900
sludgy1901
draggy1922
blah1937
nowhere1940
drack1945
stupefactive1970
schleppy1978
wack1986
1889 Daily Evening Bull. (San Francisco) 13 July 1/6 Smith has a poor opinion..of St. Joseph, which he alludes to as a ‘jay’ town of the worst description.
1900 G. Ade More Fables (1902) 185 It was a Shame to String these Jay Amateurs.
1906 in Daily Chron. 3 Nov. 4/6 He far outranks the average jay attorney.
a1911 D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) II. ii. 23 Gee, what awful jay things we work off on them, sometimes! They can't see the dress for the figure.
1914 G. Atherton Perch of Devil i. vii. 39 You're different..from the other men in this jay town.
1916 H. L. Wilson Somewhere in Red Gap viii. 348 Them jay New York newspapers would fall for it.
1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §21/10 Small; insignificant,..jay.
1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §30/4 Poor; mean; contemptible,..jay.
1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §45/3 Small country town; ‘hick’ town,..jay town.
C3.
jay-feather n. esp. in Scottish phrase to set up one's jay-feathers (see quot.).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irritation > be or become irritated [verb (intransitive)]
enchafec1380
fume and chafec1522
chafe1525
to fret and fume1551
rankle1582
to lose patience, one's temper1622
pique1664
to have no patience with1682
ruffle1719
to be out of the way (with)1740
echinate1792
nettle1810
to get one's dander up1831
to set up one's jay-feathers1880
hackle1935
to get off one's bike1939
1880 Jamieson's Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. (new ed.) (at cited word) ‘She made sic a rampaging, that I was obliged to set up my jay-feathers at her’, Roxb. The expression contains a ludicrous allusion to the mighty airs of a jackdaw, when in bad humour.
jay pie n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > family Muscicapidae (thrushes, etc.) > subfamily Turdinae > [noun] > genus Turdus (thrush) > turdus viscivorus (mistle-thrush)
song thrush1598
mistle-bird1626
mistle thrush1646
shreitch1668
shrite1668
mistletoe thrush1719
storm cock1769
wood-thrush1791
rain-fowl1817
thrice-cock1819
mistle1845
hollin cock1848
fen-thrush1854
storm thrush1854
shirlcock1859
fell-thrush1879
felt1879
jay1880
jay pie1880
Norman thrush1885
stone-thrush1885
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > family Corvidae (crow) > [noun] > genus Garrulus > garrulus glandarius (jay)
jaya1350
Canada jay1792
jay pie1880
jaybird1881
jay-piet1895
1880 M. A. Courtney W. Cornwall Words in M. A. Courtney & T. Q. Couch Gloss. Words Cornwall 30/2 Jay-pie, a jay.
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 2 Missel Thrush..the harsh note it utters when alarmed has caused it to receive the names of..Jay (North of Ireland), Jay pie (Wilts).
jay-piet n. (a) the jay; (b) locally, the Missel thrush.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > family Corvidae (crow) > [noun] > genus Garrulus > garrulus glandarius (jay)
jaya1350
Canada jay1792
jay pie1880
jaybird1881
jay-piet1895
1895 S. R. Crockett Men of Moss-hags xxxix. 282 Yet I saw as it had been the waft of a jaypiet's wing among them.
jay-teal n. locally, the common teal.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > member of genus Anas (miscellaneous) > anas crecca (teal)
teal1314
Colman's birda1387
sarcellea1387
cercelle1387
greenwing1813
teal-duck1845
jay-teal1885
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 158 Common Teal..Jay teal (Kirkcudbright).
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1350- self russet
- self silver
- self-
- self-abandon
- self-abandoned
- self-abandoning
- self-abandonment
- self-abased
- self-abasement
- self-abasements
- self-abasing
- self-ability
- self-abnegating
- self-abnegation
- self-abnegations
- self-abnegator
- self-abnegatory
- self-absorbed
- self-absorption
- self-abuse
- self-abuser
- self-abusing
- self-accusation
- self-accusations
- self-accusatory