jimmy
part of speech
noun (a jimmy, jimmies); verb (jimmy, jimmies, jimmied, jimmying); name (Jimmy)
meaning for a pupil
1) (a name) Jimmy is a short, friendly form of the name James. tree →
2) (USA) A short metal bar with a flat end, used to force open doors or windows; in the UK it is called a «jemmy». tree →
3) To jimmy a door or window means to force it open with a bar or tool. tree →
4) (Scotland, informal) «Jimmy» is a friendly or cheeky way to call a man you do not know. tree →
5) (USA) «Jimmies» are tiny coloured sugar sprinkles on ice cream. tree →
sense in the lessons
In crime stories a burglar jimmies a window, so the word tells the reader something is being broken into. At home you might jimmy open a stuck lid. In Scotland you may hear «Hey, Jimmy!» to any man. In New England, ice cream comes «with jimmies».
examples
- My cousin Jimmy is coming for tea. tree →
- The burglar used a jimmy to force the back door. tree →
- Dad jimmied open the paint tin with a screwdriver. tree →
- The window had been jimmied in the night. tree →
- (Scotland, informal) «Mind your step there, Jimmy!» tree →
- (USA) I'd like a vanilla cone with chocolate jimmies, please. tree →
note
Capital J for the name. UK spelling of the bar is «jemmy». Past: jimmied; -ing form: jimmying. Forcing a lock that is not yours is a crime.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «jimmy» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.