Jackal: n.:
a denizen of the jungle noted for his forthright and straightforward relationships with the top elements of the animal hierarchy: sort of an independent prosecutor of the animal kingdom.

Jaundiced: adj.:
the appropriate color of eye to compensate for the rose-colored visions of demagoguery.

Jazz: n.:
"If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know." Louis Armstrong's description makes it the perfect exemplar for most of the Twentieth Century.

Jealousy: n.:
that emotion kindled in us by observation of a loved one's independent happiness or success.

Jewels: n.:
a woman's most prized possessions, be they precious or family.
Either will evoke territoriality and pride of ownership.

Jitterbug: n.:
once-popular dance whose fans have gone on to condemn the lewdness of rock-and-roll dancing.

Job: n.:
the activity which we attend to obtain our daily bread.
Named for a character in the Bible in recognition of his pioneering of the lifestyle.

Jock: n.:
a subclass of athlete; nominally, a strapping physical specimen, with more muscle than anything else in its head; jerk.

Joe Camel: proper name:
90's incarnation of John Barleycorn.
Successor to the Marlboro Man, after the latter died of lung cancer.

Joe Six-pack: proper name:
great-grandson of Everyman.

Joint session of Congress: n.:

1. a little boo in the Cloakroom.
   
2. one wag's characterization of the hearings on Marijuana Law reform.

Joust: n.:
medieval equivalent of the modern morning commute.

Judicial hearing: n.:
the legal profession's response to the medical condition of insomnia.

Judicial hearing: oxymoron:
they say justice is blind; they didn't mention the deficiencies in the other senses.

Juggler: n.:
one in training to become an accountant.

Juice: v.t.:
extract the inner fluids from.

Junket: n.:
a paid vacation for the man on the public payroll.

Junta: n.:
government of the people, by the Army, for the generals.

Jury: n.:
the lynchpin of the American legal system.

Just: adj.:

1. barely;
   
2. fair, equitable and merciful.

Just In Time: adj. phrase:
a management scheme that ensures that any problems with suppliers will be passed along to the customer.

Just Say No: slogan:
except to me.

Justice: n.:
retribution; ritualized vengeance.
Two wrongs that make a right, so long as my side gets to commit the second one.

"Justice is blind:" phrase:

1. Dame Justice is shown blindfolded. This is because she is so ashamed of the way "justice" is dealt with -- and dealt -- in these days.
   
2. Republican accusation against the Reno Justice Department.

"Justice was served": phrase:
on a silver platter; to the highest bidder.

"Justice was not served": phrase:
conventional denial of the fact that real justice is self serving. This contrasts with Justices, who are frequently self-serving.

Juvenile: adj.:
old enough to do the crime, young enough to dodge the time.
Juvenile justice runs very close to being an oxymoron, except as a description of particular jurists.