Definition of "jade"

Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.

2012 March, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 June 2012, page 128

Shee hath more qualities then a Water-Spaniell, […] Shee can fetch and carry: why a horſe can doe no more; nay, a horſe cannot fetch, but onely carry, therefore is ſhee better then a Iade.

c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i], page 30, column 2

[F]requent jot / Of his hard ſetting jade did ſo confound / The vvords that he by papyr-ſtealth had got, / That their loſt ſenſe the youngſter could not ſound, / Though he vvith mimical attention did abound.

1640 (date written), H[enry] M[ore], “ΨΥΧΟΖΩΙΑ [Psychozōia], or A Christiano-platonicall Display of Life, […]”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie, published 1642, book 2, stanza 47, page 26

Let that be as it may, as my purpoſe is to do exact juſtice to every creature brought upon the ſtage of this dramatic work,—I could not ſtifle this diſtinction in favour of Don Quixote’s horſe;—in all other points the parſon’s horſe, I ſay, was juſt ſuch another,—for he was as lean, and as lank, and as ſorry a jade, as Humility herſelf could have beſtrided.

1759, [Laurence Sterne], chapter X, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 2nd (1st London) edition, volume I, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley […], published 1760, page 36

My horse would have trotted to Clifton within the hour, if left to himself, and I have almost broke my arm with pulling him in to that cursed broken-winded jade’s pace.

1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter X, in Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), page 201

The king had no other horse to give him but an old jade, for his six brothers and their men had taken all the other horses, but Ashiepattle did not mind that; he mounted the shabby old nag.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H. L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 55

You alwayes end with a iades tricke, I knowe you of olde.

1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, [Act I, scene i]

However, what ſhe withheld from the Infant, ſhe beſtowed with the utmoſt Profuſeneſs on the poor unknown Mother, whom ſhe called an impudent Slut, a wanton Huſſy, an audacious Harlot, a wicked Jade, a vile Strumpet, with every other Appellation with which the Tongue of Virtue never fails to laſh thoſe who bring a Diſgrace on the Sex.

1749, Henry Fielding, “The Reader’s Neck Brought into Danger by a Description, His Escape, and the Great Condescension of Miss Bridget Allworthy”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], book I, page 21

You shall pay me for the plague of having you eternally in my sight—do you hear, damnable jade?

1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], chapter III, in Wuthering Heights, volume I, London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], page 64

Sir Pitt Crawley was a philosopher with a taste for what is called low life. His first marriage with the daughter of the noble Binkie had been made under the auspices of his parents; and as he often told Lady Crawley in her life-time she was such a confounded quarrelsome high-bred jade that when she died he was hanged if he would ever take another of her sort […]

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Family Portraits”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, page 73

[T]he Mind once jaded by an attempt above its Power, it either is diſabl'd for the future, or elſe checks at any vigorous Undertaking ever after, at leaſt is very hardly brought to exert its Force again on any Subject that requires Thought and Meditation.

a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, § 27, page 84

The nere-yet beaten Horſe of Parthia, / We haue iaded out o'th' Field.

c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i], page 352, column 1

I do not now foole my ſelfe, to let imagination iade mee; for euery reaſon excites to this, that my Lady loues me.

c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene v], page 264, column 1