See Also: Japan wax(medicine)
Japan, the Sea of(dictionary)
Air Japan(tourism)
Japan(encyclopedia)
Japan, Sea of(encyclopedia)
Japan(dictionary)
Japan(dictionary)
japan(medicine)
Japan map(tourism)
New Japan(tourism)

Japan (iou)



Japan noun. Also Japon. L16.
[See below.]
I.
Used attrib. to designate things native to or brought from Japan, a country in the Far East off the east coast of the Asian land mass. (Now largely superseded by JAPANESE adjective.) L16.
Japan cedar = CRYPTOMERIA. Japan clover = LESPEDEZA. Japan current the Kuroshio. Japan earth = CATECHU. Japan ink a high-quality black ink, glossy when dry. Japan lacquer: see LACQUER noun 3. Japan laurel = AUCUBA. Japan paper = Japanese paper s.v. JAPANESE adjective. Japan pepper: see PEPPER noun. Japan quince: see QUINCE 2. Japan rose (a) = Japanese rose (a) s.v. JAPANESE adjective; (b) the camellia. Japan varnish = Japanese lacquer s.v. LACQUER noun 3. Japan wax = Japanese wax s.v. JAPANESE adjective.
II. A native of Japan; a Japanese. Only in E17.
(Usu. japan.) A varnish of exceptional hardness which originally came from Japan. Also, any of several similar varnishes, esp. (a) a black varnish obtained by cooking asphalt with linseed oil, used for producing a black gloss on metal and other materials; (b) a varnish-like liquid made from shellac, linseed oil, and turpentine, used as a medium in which to grind colours and for drying pigments. L17.
b. fig. Deceptive outward appearance, veneer. M19.
(Also japan.)
a. Japanese porcelain. E18.
b. Japanese silk. E18-E19.
(Also japan.) Japanese work, work in the Japanese style; esp. work that is varnished and adorned with painted or raised figures. E18.