J

J.3 n. m. & f. Teenager. (This World War II appellation has not altogether died out, although few remember that it was a ration card grouping. Les J. 3, a successful play and novel, did a lot to perpetuate its use.) jab n. m. Punch in the stomach. jabot n. m. 1 ‘Belly’, stomach. Se remplir le jabot: To ‘have a good blow-out’, to ‘have a tuck-in’, to fill one’s belly. 2 Se pousser du jabot: To ‘strut about’, to ‘put on airs’, to show off (also: enfler le jabot). jaboter v. intrans. To ‘yap’, to ‘jaw’, to talk endlessly. jacasse n. f. ‘Gas-bag’, ‘chatterbox’, over-talkative person. jacasser v. intrans. To ‘yap’, to ‘jaw’, to talk endlessly. jacassin n. m. ‘Chit-chat’, light conversation of no great significance. (It could be said that Pierre Daninos gave the word a new lease of life when he wrote his novel LE JACASSIN.) jack n. m. (Cabbies’ slang): Taximeter. jacob n. m. Clay pipe (originally the kind which had a bowl moulded in the shape of a head). jacot n. m. ‘Jemmy’, crowbar. jacques n. m. 1 ‘Jemmy’, crowbar. 2 ‘Prick’, ‘cock’, penis. 3 Faire le jacques: To ‘act the giddy goat’, to play the fool. Cesse donc de faire le jacques! Stop arsing about! jactage n. m. ‘Yackety-yack’, ‘rabbiting’, meaningless chatter. jactance n. f. La jactance: The gift of the gab. La jactance, c’est son blot! He could talk the hind legs off a donkey! jacter v. intrans. 1 To speak, to talk. Jacter argot: To talk slang. 2 To ‘yap’, to ‘jabber on’, to talk volubly. Qu’est-ce qu’elle jacte, elle! She must have been vaccinated with a gramophone needle! 3 To malign, to talk ill of. jaffe n. f. ‘Tuck’, ‘grub’, food. Ici la jajffe est bonne: We get reasonable nosh here! On s’est tapé une de ces jaffes! We had a slap-up meal! jaja n. m. ‘Plonk’, red wine. Ecluser un jaja: To knock back some vino. jalmince adj. (corr. jaloux): Jealous. jambe n. f. 1 Avoir les jambes en manches de veste: To be ‘bandy’, to be bowlegged. 2 Tricoter des jambes: To hare along. 3 Tirer la jambe: a To limp. b To ‘come the old soldier’, to feign ill-health. 4 Ça vaut mieux qu’une jambe cassée

(joc.): It’s better than a kick in the pants. 5 Une partie de jambes en l’air: A bit of ‘how’s-yourfather?’, sexual intercourse. 6 Tenir la jambe à quelqu’un: a To prolong a conversation unnecessarily. b To bore the pants off someone. 7 Faire quelque chose par-dessus la jambe: To do something ‘any old how’ (in an offhand, careless manner). 8 S’en aller sur une jambe: To have only one (alcoholic) drink. 9 Ça te fait une belle jambe! (iron.): Fat lot of good it does you!—That’s not much good, is it?! 10 N’aller que d’une jambe (of business): To be in dire straits. Chez eux, ça ne va que d’une jambe: The old firm’s on its last legs. 11 Faire jambe de bois: To leave without paying. 12 La jambe! (interj.): Bugger off!—Piss off!—Get lost! 13 100-franc note. Une demi-jambe: 50 francs, a 50franc note. jamber v. trans. To bore the pants off someone. Qu’est-ce qu’il me jambe! He’s a right pain! jambeur n. m. ‘Bore’, boring person (also: jambard). jambon n. m. 1 Mandolin. Gratter du jambon: To play that instrument. 2 (pl.): ‘Hams’, thighs. Une partie de quatre jambons (also: quatre jambons au même clou): Sexual intercourse. jambonné past part. Etre bien jambonnée (of woman): To have a nice pair of legs. D’accord, elle est bien jambonnée, mais quelle gueule! Nice legs, shame about the face! jambonneaux n. m. pl. ‘Hams’, thighs. jante n. f. Rouler sur lajante: a To be ‘dead-beat’, to feel worn-out. b To be ‘loony’, ‘bonkers’, to be drifting into madness. (The expression originates from the register of cycling, a flat tyre bringing the rim of a wheel in contact with the road.) jaquette n. f. Etre de la jaquette (flottante): To be a ‘queer’, to be homosexual. (The witticism lies in the strategically-placed slit in the coat-tails.) jar n. m. (also: jars): Slang. Dévider le jar: To speak argot. jardin n. m. 1 Le jardin des refroidis: The ‘boneyard’, the cemetery (also: le boulevard des allongés). 2 Va voir au jardin si j’y suis! (iron.): Go and get lost! (while I have a private conversation). 3 Faire du jardin: To ‘run down’, to speak ill of. 4 Aller au jardin: To get involved in a confidence trick. jardiner v. trans. & intrans. 1 To ‘pull to pieces’, to ‘run down’, to disparage. 2 To ‘shoot a line’, to ‘draw the long bow’, to exaggerate. jardinier n. m. Etre comme le chien du jardinier: To be a ‘wet blanket’, to be something of a kill-joy. jarret n. m. Couper lesjarrets à quelqu’un (fig.): To ‘take the wind out of someone’s sails’, to dash someone’s spirits. jaser v. intrans. 1 To ‘yap’, to ‘jabber on’, to talk volubly. 2 To ‘blab’, to divulge a secret. 3 To ‘run down’, to talk ill of. jaspin n. m. ‘Chit-chat’, idle conversation (also: jaspinage). jaspiner v. intrans. 1 To speak, to talk. Il jaspine comme un de la haute: He talks like a toff. 2 To ‘chew the fat’, to chat.