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Jemmy
a name found in engravings of the eighteenth century, was James
Worsdale, the painter and dramatic writer (died 1767).
A housebreaker's crowbar. A variant of Jimmy, Jenny, Jinnie, and a
diminutive of engine. Similarly a “spinning-jinnie” is a small engine
for spinning. These crowbars generally take to pieces that they may be
slipped into the pocket.
Jemmy
The head of a slaughtered sheep. There are “boiled jemmies,”
“baked jemmies,” and “sanguinary jemmies” (raw sheep's heads). The
tradition is that James IV. of Scotland breakfasted on a sheep's head
just before the battle of Flodden Field (Sep. 9, 1513).
“Mr. Sikes made many pleasant witticisms on jemmies, a cant name for
sheep's heads, and also for an ingenious implement much used in his
profession.” —Dickens: Oliver Twist.
Jemmy
A great-coat. So called from the Scotch cloth called jemmy.
Jemmy
Spruce, fine. A diminutive of gim, spruce or smart
(Anglo-Saxon gemei). Gimcrack means an ornamental toy, a pretty
ornament of no solidity. (See below, Jemmy Jessamy.)
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Jemmy from Infoplease:
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