Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Japan?

\Ja*pan"\, n. [From Japan, the country.] Work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner; also, the varnish or lacquer used in japanning.
\Ja*pan"\, a. Of or pertaining to Japan, or to the lacquered work of that country; as, Japan ware. {Japan allspice} (Bot.), a spiny shrub from Japan ({Chimonanthus fragrans}), related to the Carolina allspice. {Japan black} (Chem.), a quickly drying black lacquer or varnish, consisting essentially of asphaltum dissolved in naphtha or turpentine, and used for coating ironwork; -- called also {Brunswick black}, {Japan lacquer}, or simply {Japan}. {Japan camphor}, ordinary camphor brought from China or Japan, as distinguished from the rare variety called borneol or Borneo camphor. {Japan clover}, or {Japan pea} (Bot.), a cloverlike plant ({Lespedeza striata}) from Eastern Asia, useful for fodder, first noticed in the Southern United States about 1860, but now become very common. During the Civil War it was called variously {Yankee clover} and {Rebel clover}. {Japan earth}. See {Catechu}. {Japan ink}, a kind of writing ink, of a deep, glossy black when dry. {Japan varnish}, a varnish prepared from the milky juice of the {Rhus vernix}, a small Japanese tree related to the poison sumac.
\Ja*pan"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Japanned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Japanning}.] 1. To cover with a coat of hard, brilliant varnish, in the manner of the Japanese; to lacquer. 2. To give a glossy black to, as shoes. [R.] --Gay.