JOB'S-TEARS Definition & Meaning

Job's-tears

[johbz-teerz]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(used with a plural verb)��the hard, nearly spherical bracts that surround the female flowers of an Asian grass, Coix lacryma-jobi, and which when ripe are used as beads.
(used with a singular verb)��the grass itself.

Job's-tears

noun

(functioning as singular) a tropical Asian grass, Coix lacryma-jobi , cultivated for its white beadlike modified leaves, which contain edible seeds
(functioning as plural) the beadlike structures of this plant, used as rosary or ornamental beads

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of Job's-tears¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The possessive case and its governing noun, combining to form a metaphorical name, should be written with both apostrophe and hyphen; as, Job's-tears, Jew's-ear, bear's-foot, colts-tooth, sheep's-head, crane's-bill, crab's-eyes, hound's-tongue, king's-spear, lady's-slipper, lady's-bedstraw, &c.

From

job shop jobsworth

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