japan

See also: japán, Japan, and Japán

English

Sign advertising a japanned toilet stand

Etymology

From Japan, due to this varnishing process being an imitation of East Asian processes. Sense “to ordain” in reference to the black clothes worn by the clergy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒəˈpæn/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æn

Noun

japan (countable and uncountable, plural japans)

1. A hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt.

   Coordinate term: ebonization

   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Much Change in a Little Time”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 64:

     My own apartment, however, I was allowed to enter; and very pretty, I must say, it is. It is hung with Indian-silk, where the brightest of birds, and the gayest of flowers, disport themselves on a white ground. The screens and dressing-table are of black japan, while the mirror is set in exquisite silver filigree work, of which material are also the boxes of my toilette.

2. Lacquerware.

Verb

japan (third-person singular simple present japans, present participle japanning, simple past and past participle japanned)

1. (transitive) To varnish with japan.

   Coordinate term: ebonize

2. (UK, slang, transitive, obsolete, religion) To ordain.
   • 1826, George Colman, The Connoisseur, page 179:

     Jack, hearing that I was in this part of the world, sent me a very hearty letter, informing me, that he had been double-japanned (as he called it) about a year ago, and was the present incumbent of — […]

Translations

to varnish with japan

• Dutch: japan
• French: japon (fr) m
• Irish: seapán
• Javanese: jepang
• Ottoman Turkish: ruğan vurmaq
• Swedish: japanera (sv)

References

• “japan”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary

Swedish

Etymology

Japan +‎ -an

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jaˈpɑːn/

Noun

japan c

1. A person from Japan.

Declension

Declension of japan
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	japan	japanen	japaner	japanerna
Genitive	japans	japanens	japaners	japanernas

Related terms

• japanska