Jacob

JACOB, sb. Var. dial. uses in Sc. and Eng. [dʒeə·kəb.][dʒeə·kəb.] 1. In phr. (1) Jacob's chariot, the monkshood, Aconitum Napellus; (2) Jacob's ladder, (a) the plant Solomon's seal, Polygonatum multiflorum; (b) a garden species of Gladiolus; (c) a gen. name for Polemonium coeruleum; (d) the greater celandine, Chelidonium majus; (e) the orpine, Sedum Telephium; (f) the wild larkspur, Delphinium Consolida; (g) the belladonna, Atropa Belladonna; (h) the hole or gap made by a dropped stitch having run down in knitting; (i) a flight of steps running up from a lane into a raised field; (j) a small ladder; (k) see below; (3) Jacob's staff, the great mullein, Verbascum Thapsus; (4) Jacob's stee, (a) see (2, g); (b) see (2, k); (5) Jacob's stones, see below. (1) Ess. (B. & H.) (2, a) n.Stf. She did not like the Jacob's Ladder and the row of hollyhocks... better than other flowers, Geo. Eliot A. Bede (1859) I. 231. Lei.1 Brks. [So called from the alternate leaflets]. Wil.1 Som. Coming down the garden path... between... red Jacob's ladders... an' blue love-in-a-puzzle, Leith Lemon Verbena (1895) 208. (b) Glo.1 Suf., Dev. [So called] from the long spike of alternate flowers (B. & H.). Dev.4 Always so known at Ippleden. (c) e.An.2, e.Suf. (F.H.) Sus. Friend Gl. (1882). Dev.4 (d) Shr. (e) Ken. (f) Dev. (g) Ayr. (Jam.) (h) Lin. (W.W.S.) Nhp.1 Called also Loose-lather or Louse-ladder. Oxf.1, Sur. (L.J.Y.) (i) s.Stf. On the Beacon-Hargate road was what the country-people thereabouts call a Jacob's ladder, a stile with ten or a dozen steps to it, leading from the low-lying lane to fields on a higher level, Murray John Vale (1890) i; Below a Jacob's ladder lay a man of uncommonly large proportions, MURRAY Rainbow Gold (1886) 66. (j) Lon. A time-keeper of a building society gave evidence that the workmen had left a ladder known as a ‘Jacob's ladder’ standing against a hut, Times (Jan. 29, 1889) 8, col. I. (k) Lei.1 The appearance presented by the rays of the sun falling through an opening in the clouds in hazy weather, the pathway of the ways, generally lighter than the surrounding atmosphere, but more opaque, often having a fanciful resemblance to a ladder. This phenomenon is sometimes called also ‘the sun drawing water,’ and is considered a sure sign of rain. War.3 (3) Cum.1 Cum.4 (4) n.Lin.1 (5) Wal. In the Caradoc Sandstone (of the Cambrian Series) remains of fossils are often so abundant as to render some of the beds sufficiently calcareous to be burnt for lime. These beds are known to the workmen as Jacob's Stones, Woodward Geol. Eng. and Wal. (1876) 46. 2. A silly fellow. Dev. Reports Provinc. (1889). 3. A frog. e.An.1, Ess.1 4. The starling, Sturnus vulgaris. Chs.3 (s.v. Jack Nicker). Nhp.1 (s.v. Dicky-bird). [Swainson Birds (1885) 73.] 5. A round black plum, in considerable demand in the local markets. Chs.1

JACOB, sb. s.Lan.1 A round black plum.