Random Image

You are here: Random Image > Words beginning with j > Random Image for jacate

Possible definitions for jacate

agate
Common semiprecious silica mineral, a variety of chalcedony that occurs in bands of varying color and transparency. Varieties are characterized by peculiarities in the shape and color of the bands, which are seen in sections cut at right angles to the layers. Agate is found throughout the world, commonly in cavities in eruptive rocks and in geodes. Brazil and Uruguay are major producers of agates; they are also found in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and other W U.S. states. Agate is essentially quartz. Much commercial agate is artificially dyed to make the naturally dull-gray stones more colorful.


Hecate
Greek goddess of magic and spells. She probably originated in Asia Minor. Hesiod held her to be the daughter of the Titan Perses and represented her as the bestower of wealth and the blessings of daily life. She witnessed the abduction of Persephone by Hades and assisted in the search for her. Pillars called Hecataea were erected at doorways and crossroads to ward off evil spirits. She was sometimes depicted as three bodies back to back, so that she could look in all directions at a crossroads.


jacama
Leguminous vine (Pachyrhizus erosus, or P. tuberosus), also called yam bean. A native of Mexico and Central and S. America, it is grown for its edible root. The irregularly globular, brown-skinned tubers are white-fleshed, crisp, and juicy. There are two varieties, those with clear juice and those with milky juice. Both have a mild flavor and are eaten raw or cooked. Sometimes very young seedpods of the plant are eaten, but the mature seeds are highly toxic.


Javanese
Largest ethnic group on the island of Java, Indonesia. The Javanese are Muslim, though relatively few are strictly observant. Traditional Javanese social organization varied in structure from relatively egalitarian villages to the highly stratified society of the cities; these differences find expression in the many Javanese styles of speech still in use. Javanese villages are compact groups of single-family houses, generally built of bamboo, surrounding a central square. Rice is the main food crop. The growth of large cities in Java has produced an urban proletariat who live in makeshift huts in enclosed neighborhoods.


karate
Martial art in which an attacker is disabled by crippling kicks and punches. Emphasis is on concentration of as much of the body's power as possible at the point and instant of impact. Striking surfaces include hands (particularly the knuckles and the outer edge), ball of the foot, heel, forearm, knee, and elbow. In sporting matches (usually lasting about three minutes) and in sparring, blows and kicks are stopped short. Performances are scored by a panel of judges. Developed from older forms, karate was first systematized in Okinawa in the 17th cent. It was imported into Japan in the 1920s and spread from there to other countries. See also tae kwon ...

Top words beginning with J: jumpy, jargon, jarring, juramentado, jamboree, jiggly, jujitsus, jointage, junketing, joanne, johnny, jerkier, jumpiest, jennie, johannesburg, jouret, jaculated, joug, japonicum, josephine

More words beginning with J.

Browse the alphabet: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z