jade

Noun

jade (usually uncountable, plural jades)

2. A semiprecious stone, either nephrite or jadeite, generally green or white in color, often used for carving figurines.

   Synonyms: jadestone, jade stone, yu

   • 2012 March, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 June 2012, page 128:

     Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.

3. A bright shade of slightly bluish or greyish green, typical of polished jade stones.

   jade:  

   Synonym: jade green

4. A succulent plant, Crassula ovata.

   Synonyms: jade plant, lucky plant, money plant, money tree

Derived terms

See also

• Appendix:Colors

Adjective

jade (not comparable)

1. Of a grayish shade of green, typical of jade stones.

Noun

jade (plural jades)

2. A horse too old to be put to work.

   Synonyms: nag, yaud

   • c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 30, column 2:

     Shee hath more qualities then a Water-Spaniell, […] Shee can fetch and carry: why a horſe can doe no more; nay, a horſe cannot fetch, but onely carry, therefore is ſhee better then a Iade.

   • 1640 (date written), H[enry] M[ore], “ΨΥΧΟΖΩΙΑ [Psychozōia], or A Christiano-platonicall Display of Life, […]”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie, published 1642, →OCLC, book 2, stanza 47, page 26:

     [F]requent jot / Of his hard ſetting jade did ſo confound / The vvords that he by papyr-ſtealth had got, / That their loſt ſenſe the youngſter could not ſound, / Though he vvith mimical attention did abound.

   • 1759, [Laurence Sterne], chapter X, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 2nd (1st London) edition, volume I, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 36:

     Let that be as it may, as my purpoſe is to do exact juſtice to every creature brought upon the ſtage of this dramatic work,—I could not ſtifle this diſtinction in favour of Don Quixote’s horſe;—in all other points the parſon’s horſe, I ſay, was juſt ſuch another,—for he was as lean, and as lank, and as ſorry a jade, as Humility herſelf could have beſtrided.

   • 1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter X, in Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC, page 201:

     My horse would have trotted to Clifton within the hour, if left to himself, and I have almost broke my arm with pulling him in to that cursed broken-winded jade’s pace.

   • 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H. L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 55:

     The king had no other horse to give him but an old jade, for his six brothers and their men had taken all the other horses, but Ashiepattle did not mind that; he mounted the shabby old nag.

3. (especially derogatory) A bad-tempered or disreputable woman.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:shrew

   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     You alwayes end with a iades tricke, I knowe you of olde.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “The Reader’s Neck Brought into Danger by a Description, His Escape, and the Great Condescension of Miss Bridget Allworthy”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book I, page 21:

     However, what ſhe withheld from the Infant, ſhe beſtowed with the utmoſt Profuſeneſs on the poor unknown Mother, whom ſhe called an impudent Slut, a wanton Huſſy, an audacious Harlot, a wicked Jade, a vile Strumpet, with every other Appellation with which the Tongue of Virtue never fails to laſh thoſe who bring a Diſgrace on the Sex.

   • 1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], chapter III, in Wuthering Heights: […], volume I, London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], →OCLC, page 64:

     You shall pay me for the plague of having you eternally in my sight—do you hear, damnable jade?

   • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Family Portraits”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 73:

     Sir Pitt Crawley was a philosopher with a taste for what is called low life. His first marriage with the daughter of the noble Binkie had been made under the auspices of his parents; and as he often told Lady Crawley in her life-time she was such a confounded quarrelsome high-bred jade that when she died he was hanged if he would ever take another of her sort […]

Verb

jade (third-person singular simple present jades, present participle jading, simple past and past participle jaded) (transitive)

1. To fatigue, tire, or weary (someone or something).

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:tire

   • a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC, § 27, page 84:

     [T]he Mind once jaded by an attempt above its Power, it either is diſabl'd for the future, or elſe checks at any vigorous Undertaking ever after, at leaſt is very hardly brought to exert its Force again on any Subject that requires Thought and Meditation.

2. (obsolete) To treat (someone or something) like a jade; to spurn.
   • c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 352, column 1:

     The nere-yet beaten Horſe of Parthia, / We haue iaded out o'th' Field.

3. (obsolete) To make (someone or something) contemptible and ridiculous.
   • c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v], page 264, column 1:

     I do not now foole my ſelfe, to let imagination iade mee; for euery reaſon excites to this, that my Lady loues me.

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

Derived terms