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558 entries found
judo (n.)
1889, from Japanese judo, literally "gentle way," from ju "softness, gentleness" (from Chinese jou "soft, gentle") + do "way, art," from Chinese tao "way." "A refined form of ju-jitsu introduced in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano, using principles of movement and balance, and practiced as a sport or form of physical exercise" [OED]. Related: Judoist.
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Judy 
pet form of Judith. Figurative uses often are from the Punch and Judy puppet show.
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jug (n.)
"deep vessel for carrying liquids, usually with a handle or ear," late 15c., jugge, variant of jubbe (late 14c.), a word of unknown origin. Perhaps it is from jug "a low woman, a maidservant" (mid-16c.), a familiar alteration of Jug, a common personal name such as Joan or Judith.

Use as a musical instrument is attested from 1886 in jug-band (American English) "musical ensemble in which the bass line is carried or augmented by a player blowing on the open lip of a jug. "As a quantity of ale or beer, a jug is usually a pint" [Century Dictionary, 1902].
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jug (interj.)
representing the sound of the nightingale, 1530s.
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Jugendstil (n.)
German equivalent of art nouveau, from "Jugend" ("Youth"), the name of a German magazine begun in 1896 + stil "style." See youth (n.) + style (n.).
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juggernaut (n.)
"an idea, custom, fashion, etc., that demands either blind devotion or merciless sacrifice," 1854, a figurative use of Juggernaut, 1630s (Iaggernat), "huge wagon bearing an image of the god Krishna," especially that at the town of Puri, drawn annually in procession during which (apocryphally) devotees allowed themselves to be crushed under its wheels in sacrifice. Altered from Jaggernaut, a title of Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu), from Hindi Jagannath, literally "lord of the world."

This is from Sanskrit jagat "the world, men and beasts" (literally "the moving, all that moves," present participle of *jagati "he goes" (from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come") + natha-s "lord, master," from nathate "he helps, protects," from PIE root *nā- "to help." The first European description of the festival is by Friar Odoric (c. 1321).
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juggle (v.)
late 14c., jogelen, "entertain by clowning or doing conjuring tricks," back-formation from juggler, and in part from Old French jogler "play tricks, sing songs" (Modern French jongler), from Late Latin ioculare (source of Italian giocolare), from Latin ioculari "to jest" (see jocular).

From c. 1400 as "deceive, put (someone) under a spell." Especially of tricks of manual dexterity and legerdemain from mid-15c. Figurative use, of careers, husbands, etc., is by 1940. Related: Juggled; juggling.
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juggler (n.)
c. 1100, iugulere "jester, buffoon," also "wizard, sorcerer," from Old English geogelere "magician, conjurer," also from Anglo-French jogelour, Old French jogleor (accusative), from Latin ioculatorem (nominative ioculator) "joker," from ioculari "to joke, to jest" (see jocular). The connecting notion between "magician" and "juggler" is dexterity. Especial sense "one who practices sleight of hand, one who performs tricks of dexterity" is from c. 1600.
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jughandle (n.)
also jug-handle, "handle of a jug," 1816, from jug (n.) + handle (n.). As a figure of this shape, from 1846. Sense of "tight curved road used for turns" is from 1957.
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jughead (n.)
"klutz, stupid person," 1926, from jug (n.) + head (n.).
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