Browse Entries: J

there are 123 entries under the letter J

jack

1 n. a large species of pike, Esox lucius, found in northern waters.

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Jack Canuck

a native or citizen of Canada.

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jack herring

small male herring used as bait in angling.

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jack-jay

n. a gray, crestless jay, Perisoreus canadensis.

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jack-knife

v. of a tug, push (barges) ahead in a zigzag fashion.

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jack-knife saw

See quote.

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jack-rabbit

n. any of several large North American hares found in the West, as Lepus americanus and, especially, L. townsendii.

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jack-snipe

n. any of several shore birds, as the pectoral sandpiper, Pisobia maculata, and, especially, Wilson's snipe, Capella delicata.

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jackash

n. the North American mink, Mustela vison.

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jackasheypuck

n. a trailing shrub, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, found on bare, gravelly soils throughout Canada; kinnikinnik (def. 2).

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jackboat

n. a small two-masted fishing schooner, sometimes equipped with outriggers.

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jackfish

n. a large species of pike, Esox lucius, found in northern waters.

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jackfish twine

heavy, strong twine used mainly for making nets to catch northern pike and other large fish.

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jackladder

n. See 1963 quote.

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jacklight ((n.))

1 n. a light used at night to attract fish.

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jacklight ((v.))

v. hunt with a jacklight (def. 2).

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jacklighter

n. one who uses a jacklight (def. 2) to hunt deer.

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jacklighting

n. the practice of hunting or fishing at night by using a jacklight.

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jackpine 

1 n. one of several varieties of pine, especially the Banksian pine.

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jackpot

n. a difficult or embarrassing situation; predicament.

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jackpress

n. a type of press used for baling furs, force being applied by a screw-operated jack.

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jackscrew (press)

n. a type of press used for baling furs, force being applied by a screw-operated jack.

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Jacob's ladder

See quote.

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Jacobin

n. a follower of Judge Robert Thorpe, an Irishman who led dissident elements of Upper Canada (1805-1807) in opposition to the oligarchy.

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jail boom

See quote.

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jam ((n.))

1 n. a pile-up of ice-cakes in a river or other narrow watercourse. Also, earlier, spelled jamb.

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jam ((v.))

1 v. of ice, form into an ice-jam.

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jam crew

a gang of loggers trained and equipped to deal with jams (def. 2).

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jam dragger

an arrangement of ropes attached to a key-log (def. 1) so it could be pulled free to release a log jam.

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jam ice

See 1792 quote.

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jam-pile

n. a large pile of driftwood in a river.

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jammer

n. a hoist used in loading logs.

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January thaw 

a spell of mild weather occurring in January and causing the snow to melt.

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jar (seal)

n. a seal, Phoca hispida, characterized by ringlike white spots on the body, found in northern regions.

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jargon

n. a relatively simple trade language used by the Indians of the Pacific Coast in their dealings with whites and Indians of other tribes, based on the language of the Chinook Indians; words from Nootka, Salish, French, English, and other languages were adapted to the jargon.

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Jasper House Iroquois

one of numerous Iroquois who travelled West as voyageurs, settling in Alberta and intermarrying with whites and Crees, some of their descendants now living on the Driftpile Reserve.

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jaw

n. credit (presumably because the jawbone had to be exercised in speaking to win over the creditor).

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jawbone

n. credit (presumably because the jawbone had to be exercised in speaking to win over the creditor).

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jay-bird

n. a gray, crestless jay, Perisoreus canadensis.

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jay-dee

n. a gray, crestless jay, Perisoreus canadensis.

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Jean Baptiste

a personification of the French Canadian.

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jerk 

v. preserve meat by cutting it into strips or flakes and drying it in the sun.

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jerkline 

n. See 1960 quote.

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jerky

n. meat that has been cured by jerking.

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Jew's freight

See quote.

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jewellery

1 n. See quote.

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jick

n. an Indian.

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Jig

n. a vigorous dance popular in the old Northwest.

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jig ((n.)) 

n. See 1956 quote.

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jig ((v.))

1 v. fish with a jigger (def. 1).

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jigger

1 n. See 1832 quote.

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jigging 

1 n. fishing with jigs or jiggers (def. 1).

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jigging ground

the place where fishermen jig (def. 1) for squid.

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jigging line

a fish-line to which a number of jigs, or hooks, are attached.

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jill-poke

1 n. See quote.

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jim crow

See 1962 quote.

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jinker

1 n. See quotes.

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jobber

n. See 1944 quote.

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Joe

n. See quote.

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John 

n. a Chinese.

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John Baptiste

a personification of the French Canadian.

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John Chinaman 

n. a Chinese.

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John Company

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John Dory

the pickerel.

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John Down

any of several large oceanic birds such as the fulmar.

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Johnnie

See Johnny.

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Johnny Canuck

1a a native or citizen of Canada.

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Johnny Courteau

a personification of the French Canadian.

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Johnny Crapaud

n. a French Canadian.

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Johnny Crapeau

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johnnycake 

1 n. a thin flat cake made of cornmeal.

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joint school

a school attended by the children of both whites and native Indians who are charges of the federal government, which pays the tuition of the Indian children by arrangement with the provincial department of education.

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Jonathan 

1 n. a personification of the United States.

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jone (pole)

n. a long pole set upright in the water, its butt-end anchored in a block of concrete, a buoyed hawser being attached to the top for the mooring of boats.

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jonglerie

n. among Indians, a small, hut-like structure used by a medicine man (def. 1a) to demonstrate his magical powers by freeing himself from bonds and conversing with spirits.

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jongleur

n. an Indian magician or shaman who practises healing by means of charms and the exorcism of evil spirits or by practical remedies such as administering herbs and sweat baths.

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joual

n. uneducated or dialectal Canadian French considered as debased or inferior by educated French Canadians, characterized by regional pronunciations, non-standard grammar, and often, especially in cities, by numerous English words and syntactical arrangements.

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journal of (daily) occurrences

a journal of all activities taking place at a post, including arrivals and departures, births, deaths, marriages, receipts of furs, employment of servants, and notes on the weather.

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journey cake

a thin flat cake made of cornmeal. See note at johnnycake (def. 1).

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jowler

n. a lucky or successful person, especially a captain bringing home a large catch.

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judge of fences

a municipal official whose duty it is to see that fences meet legal specifications as to construction and location.

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judicial district

in certain provinces, a sub-division for purposes of holding district courts (known as county courts in certain other provinces).

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jug

n. among oil drillers, a geophone.

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jug-hustler

n. among oil-drillers, a member of a cable-car crew, especially a geophone operator.

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jugging 

n. See quote.

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juggler

n. an Indian magician or shaman who practises healing by means of charms and the exorcism of evil spirits or by practical remedies such as administering herbs and sweat baths.

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juggling machine

among Indians, a small, hut-like structure used by a medicine man (def. 1a) to demonstrate his magical powers by freeing himself from bonds and conversing with spirits.

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jumbo sweater

a sweater knitted of thick strands of heavy wool.

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jump ((n.))

1 n. a place where Plains Indians slaughtered buffalo by stampeding them over a precipice.

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jump ((v.))

v. run or sail through (a rapids).

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jump fire

a forest fire started by burning material carried ahead by wind from another blaze.

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jump off

begin a journey into the northern wilderness.

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jump the line

See quote.

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jump-off point

a place, usually a town, where one leaves the railway or other link with civilization to proceed into the wilderness.

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jump-trap

n. a strong spring trap having wide-spread jaws.

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jumper ((1))

1a n. See 1921 quote.

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jumper ((2))

n. hooded outer garment of fur or other material. See picture at atigi (def. 2).

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jumper road

a prepared road having greased skids (def. 1d) over which logs were dragged by teams of mules, oxen, or horses.

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jumper sleigh

See jumper sleigh (def. 1a) 1921 quote.

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jumping deer

1 the pronghorn, Antilocapra americana, of the southern prairies.

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jumping pound

a place where Plains Indians slaughtered buffalo by stampeding them over a precipice.

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jumping-off place

1 a point on a trail, waterway, etc. where the route changes in nature or direction, marking a new leg of the journey.

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jumping-off point

1 a place, usually a town, where one leaves the railway or other link with civilization to proceed into the wilderness.

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jumping-off spot

a place, usually a town, where one leaves the railway or other link with civilization to proceed into the wilderness.

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jumping-off town

a place, usually a town, where one leaves the railway or other link with civilization to proceed into the wilderness.

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June beetle 

a large beetle of the genus Phyllophaga, often in flight in great numbers on warm June nights.

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June fever

spring fever.

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juneberry 

1 n. any of several bushes or shrubby trees of the genus Amelanchier.

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jungle

n. the woods; bush.

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jungle cook

n. See bullcook, n. 1913 quote.

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jungle hound

a person whose occupation is logging (def. 2).

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junior chief trader

a company officer a grade lower than a chief trader.

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junior matric

n. in certain provinces, the successful completion of a secondary-school course one year short of the full requirements for university entrance.

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junior matriculation

in certain provinces, the successful completion of a secondary-school course one year short of the full requirements for university entrance.

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junk ((n.))

n. a length of sawn log, stovewood, etc.

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junk ((v.))

v. in clearing land, cut trees into lengths for burning.

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