japon

Japan Ja*pan", a. Of or pertaining to Japan, or to the lacquered work of that
country; as, Japan ware.
[1913 Webster]

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.
[1913 Webster]

Japan Ja*pan" (j.a*pa^n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Japanned (j[.a]*p[a^]nd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Japanning}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To cover with a coat of hard, brilliant varnish, in the
manner of the Japanese; to lacquer.
[1913 Webster]

2. To give a glossy black to, as shoes. R. --Gay. [1913 Webster]

Japan current Japan current A branch of the equatorial current of the Pacific, washing
the eastern coast of Formosa and thence flowing northeastward
past Japan and merging into the easterly drift of the North
Pacific; -- called also {Kuro-Siwo}, or {Black Stream}, in
allusion to the deep blue of its water. It is similar in may
ways to the Gulf Stream.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English