*jes*

n.; pl. Jesses [ OF. gies, giez, prop. pl. of giet, get, jet, F. jet, a throwing, jess. See Jet a shooting forth. ] (falconry) A short strap of leather or silk secured round the leg of a hawk, to which the leash or line, wrapped round the falconer's hand, was attached when used. See Illust. of Falcon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like a hawk, which feeling freed
From bells and jesses which did let her flight. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Same as Jasmine. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Springing up or emerging; -- said of a plant or animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. Jesse, the father of David, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. Herb. Yishai. ] Any representation or suggestion of the genealogy of Christ, in decorative art; as: (a) A genealogical tree represented in stained glass. (b) A candlestick with many branches, each of which bears the name of some one of the descendants of Jesse; -- called also tree of Jesse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesse window (Arch.), a window of which the glazing and tracery represent the tree of Jesse. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Having jesses on, as a hawk. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. jeste, geste, deed, action, story, tale, OF. geste, LL. gesta, orig., exploits, neut. pl. from L. gestus, p. p. of gerere to bear, carry, accomplish, perform; perh. orig., to make to come, bring, and perh. akin to E. come. Cf. Gest a deed, Register, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A deed; an action; a gest. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The jests or actions of princes. Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mask; a pageant; an interlude. [ Obs. ] Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

He promised us, in honor of our guest,
To grace our banquet with some pompous jest. Kyd. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something done or said in order to amuse; a joke; a witticism; a jocose or sportive remark or phrase. See Synonyms under Jest, v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts. Sheridan. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then let me be your jest; I deserve it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest. [ 1913 Webster ] And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Shak. --
Jest book, a book containing a collection of jests, jokes, and amusing anecdotes; a Joe Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Jested; p. pr. & vb. n. Jesting. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a mask or interlude. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of anything. [ 1913 Webster ]

He jests at scars that never felt a wound. Shak.

Syn. -- To joke; sport; rally. -- To Jest, Joke. One jests in order to make others laugh; one jokes to please himself. A jest is usually at the expense of another, and is often ill-natured; a joke is a sportive sally designed to promote good humor without wounding the feelings of its object. “Jests are, therefore, seldom harmless; jokes frequently allowable. The most serious subject may be degraded by being turned into a jest.” Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Gestour. ] 1. A buffoon; a merry-andrew; a court fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

This . . . was Yorick's skull, the king's jester. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dressed in the motley garb that jesters wear. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person addicted to jesting, or to indulgence in light and amusing talk. [ 1913 Webster ]

He ambled up and down
With shallow jesters. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Given to jesting; full of jokes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sportive; not serious; fit for jests.
Syn. -- joking. [ 1913 Webster ]

He will find that these are no jesting matters. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or practice of making jests; joking; pleasantry. Eph. v. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a jesting manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., vocative and oblique cases of Jesus. ] Jesus. [ Poetical ]

Jesu, give the weary
Calm and sweet repose. S. Baring-Gould. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. Jésuite, Sp. Jesuita: cf. It. Gesuita. ] 1. (R. C. Ch.) One of a religious order founded by Ignatius Loyola, and approved in 1540, under the title of The Society of Jesus. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The order consists of Scholastics, the Professed, the Spiritual Coadjutors, and the Temporal Coadjutors or Lay Brothers. The Jesuit novice after two years becomes a Scholastic, and takes his first vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience simply. Some years after, at the close of a second novitiate, he takes his second vows and is ranked among the Coadjutors or Professed. The Professed are bound by a fourth vow, from which only the pope can dispense, requiring them to go wherever the pope may send them for missionary duty. The Coadjutors teach in the schools, and are employed in general missionary labors. The Society is governed by a General who holds office for life. He has associated with him “Assistants” (five at the present time), representing different provinces. The Society was first established in the United States in 1807. The Jesuits have displayed in their enterprises a high degree of zeal, learning, and skill, but, by their enemies, have been generally reputed to use art and intrigue in promoting or accomplishing their purposes, whence the words Jesuit, Jesuitical, and the like, have acquired an opprobrious sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: A crafty person; an intriguer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesuits' bark, Peruvian bark, or the bark of certain species of Cinchona; -- so called because its medicinal properties were first made known in Europe by Jesuit missionaries to South America. --
Jesuits' drops. See Friar's balsam, under Friar. --
Jesuits' nut, the European water chestnut. --
Jesuits' powder, powdered cinchona bark. --
Jesuits' tea, a Chilian leguminous shrub, used as a tea and medicinally. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Conforming to the principles of the Jesuits. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. Jésuitesse. ] (R. C. Hist.) One of an order of nuns established on the principles of the Jesuits, but suppressed by Pope Urban in 1633.

{ } a. [ Cf. F. jésuitique. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Of or pertaining to the Jesuits, or to their principles and methods. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Designing; cunning; deceitful; crafty; -- an opprobrious use of the word. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a jesuitical manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. jésuitisme. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The principles and practices of the Jesuits. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cunning; deceit; deceptive practices to effect a purpose; subtle argument; -- an opprobrious use of the word. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Jesuit + -cracy, as in aristocracy. ] Government by Jesuits; also, the whole body of Jesuits in a country. [ R. ] C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Jesuitism; subtle argument. [ R. ] Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. [ L. Jesus, Gr. &unr_;, from Heb. Yēshūa'; Yāh Jehovah + hōshīa' to help. ] The Savior; the name of the Son of God as announced by the angel to his parents; the personal name of Our Lord, in distinction from Christ, his official appellation. Luke i. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins. Matt. i. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞The form Jesu is often used, esp. in the vocative. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesu, do thou my soul receive. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Society of Jesus. The Roman Catholic order whose members are called Jesuits. See Jesuit. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. [ F. lese-majesté, fr. L. laesus, fem. laesa, injured (see Lesion) + majestas majesty; that is, crimen laesae majestatis. ] [ Written also lèse majesty. ] 1. (Law) Any crime committed against the sovereign power, or against a ruler. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any affront to the dignity of an eminent or respected person. [ PJC ]

3. An attack against an institution or custom revered by the majority in a society. [ PJC ]

n. See Leze majesty. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Majestic. [ Obs. ] E. Pocock. Dr. J. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From Majesty. ] Possessing or exhibiting majesty; of august dignity, stateliness, or imposing grandeur; lofty; noble; grand. “The majestic world.” Shak. “Tethys' grave majestic pace.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The least portions must be of the epic kind; all must be grave, majestic, and sublime. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- August; splendid; grand; sublime; magnificent; imperial; regal; pompous; stately; lofty; dignified; elevated. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Majestic. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

An older architecture, greater, cunninger, more majestical. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Ma*jes"tic*al*ly, adv. -- Ma*jes"tic*al*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being majestic. Oldenburg. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Majesties [ OE. magestee, F. majesté, L. majestas, fr. an old compar. of magnus great. See Major, Master. ] The dignity and authority of sovereign power; quality or state which inspires awe or reverence; grandeur; exalted dignity, whether proceeding from rank, character, or bearing; imposing loftiness; stateliness; -- usually applied to the rank and dignity of sovereigns. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty. Ps. xciii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

No sovereign has ever represented the majesty of a great state with more dignity and grace. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, used with the possessive pronoun, the title of an emperor, king or queen; -- in this sense taking a plural; as, their majesties attended the concert. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all the public writs which he [ Emperor Charles V. ] now issued as King of Spain, he assumed the title of Majesty, and required it from his subjects as a mark of respect. Before that time all the monarchs of Europe were satisfied with the appellation of Highness or Grace. Robertson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Dignity; elevation of manner or style. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]