Forms: α. 4–6 iaunes, 4–5 iawnes, 4 iaunys, iaunyce, 9 dial. jaunis, -us. β. 4–7 iaund-, 5 iawnd-, 5–7 iand-, 6 gaund-, giaund-, 7–8 jand-, 4–6 -is, -ys, 5–6 -yes, -es, -yce, 6–7 -ies, -ise, -eis, 7 -ize, 7– jaundice. γ. 5 iawndres; 6–7 iaun-, ian-, 7 (9 dial.) jaun-, janders. [ME. a. F. jaunice, jaunisse, in 12th c. jalnice (Hatz.-Darm.), lit. ‘yellowness,’ f. jalne, jaune yellow: see -ICE. The d in the form jaundice is a phonetic accretion as in astound, sound, thunder, etc. The ending of the word in -s led to its frequent treatment from the 15th c., and esp. in the 17th, as a plural in -yes, -ies, -ers, as in other plural names of diseases, cf. measles, mumps, glanders.]
1. A morbid condition caused by obstruction of the bile, and characterized by yellowness of the conjunctiva, skin, fluids, and tissues, and by constipation, loss of appetite, and weakness.
Three varieties (yellow, black, and green) are recognized and distinguished according to the color of the skin in each case. Yellow vision, often referred to as a characteristic of this state, though the source of much literary allusion, occurs only in rare instances.
α. 1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 3980. Þe ye þat ys ful of Jawnes Alle þenkeþ hym ȝeloghe yn hys auys.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 700. Many yvels,… Als fevyr, dropsy, and Iaunys.
14[?]. in Rel. Ant., I. 51. For hym that is in the jaunes: tak wormot.
1483. Cath. Angl., 194/1. Iawnes, ubi gulsoghte.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, clxxviii. 63. In Englyshe it is named the iaunes, or the gulsuffe.
1825. Brockett, Jaunis, Jaunus.
1893. Northumbld. Gloss., Jaunis, Jenis (N.), Jaanis (T.), Jonas (W.-T.).
β. 1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 113. A pestilence of þe ȝelowe yuel þat is i-cleped þe jaundys.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 258/1. Iawndyce, sekenesse, hicteria.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., III. lx. 39. Ye yelowe euyl called the Iaundyes.
a. 1530. Heywood, Love (Brandl). 1208. He is infecte with the blak iawndes.
1555. Eden, Decades, 121. The Spanyshe inhabitours are all pale and yelowe, like vnto them that haue the yelowe giaundyes.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 29 b/2. The liver vayn is phlebotomized agaynst the yellowe gaundise.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 2. What greefe hath set the Iaundies on your cheekes?
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., I. IV. 4. To him that hath the yellow jaundies, all things seem yellow.
1693. Dryden, Juvenal, vi. (1697), 154. From him your Wife enquires the Planets Will, When the Black Jaundies shall her Mother kill.
1725. N. Robinson, Th. Physick, 162. After the fiftieth Year, a Jaundice happening upon a schirrous Liver or Spleen, always turns to the Black Jaundice, and kills the Patient.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 256. A very excellent Remedy in Jaundices and Dropsies.
1875. H. C. Wood, Therap. (1879), 448. Dr. Mosler has been led to try forced enemata in catarrhal and other jaundices.
1888. [Catherine Barter], Poor Nellie, 274. He had an attack of the jaundice.
γ. 1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 113. An infirmitie reignenge in Wales … was callede the iawndres [L. ictericia].
1528. Paynell, Salerne’s Regim., 4. Whey is … holsome for them that haue the ianders.
1563–4. Randolph, Lett. to Cecil, 15 Jan., in Calr. Scott. Pap., II. (1900), 34. Yellowe ganders.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 500. Very profitable against the yellow-jaunders.
1676. Phil. Trans., XI. 712. A very malign Fever, which … is followed with the Jaunders.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Jaunders.
1881. Leicestersh. Gloss., s.v., The ‘black janders’ designates its more malignant form.
b. Applied to other diseases in which the skin is discolored or which resemble jaundice in some way, as white jaundice = CHLOROSIS; blue jaundice = CYANOSIS.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., Chlorosis, a feminine disease, vulgarly called the green-sickness, white-jaundice, &c.
1855. Mayne, Expos. Lex., Icterus Albus, White jaundice.
1887. Syd. Soc. Lex., Jaundice, blue, a synonym of Cyanosis.
† 2. A disease of trees, in which there is discoloration of the leaves. Cf. ICTERUS 1 b. Obs.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 405. Trees that haue the iaundise, or else are otherwise any way sicke.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva, 69. Mice, Moles, and Pismires cause the Jaundies in Trees, known by the discolour of the Leaves and Buds.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 223. The Jaundies, or Langor of Trees.
3. transf. and fig. In various phrases referring to the color and reputed yellow or disordered vision of jaundiced persons.
1629. Symmer, Spir. Posie, I. i. 8. Envie hath the yellow Iaundies.
1663. Cowley, Verses & Ess., Greatness (1669), 125. The Love of Gold, (That Jaundice of the Soul, which makes it look so Guilded and so Foul).
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., III. 73. And jealousie, the jaundice of the soul. Ibid. (1700), Sigism. & Guisc., 542. These were thy thoughts, and thou couldst judge aright, Till interest made a jaundice in thy sight.
1825. Waterton, Wand. S. Amer., IV. i. 298. He must be sorely afflicted with spleen and jaundice, who, on his arrival at Saratoga, remarks, there is nothing here worth coming to see.
4. attrib. and comb., as jaundice colo(u)r, hue, etc.; jaundice-faced, jaundice-tinctured adjs: jaundice-berry, -tree, the Barberry, Berberis vulgaris.
1598. E. Gilpin, Skial. (1878), 43. Their iaundice looks, and raine-bow like disclosed, Shall slander them with sicknes ere their time.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 83. Some iaundice-fac’d idiot.
1682. Creech, Lucretius (1683), IV. 112. Whatever Jaundice-eyes do view, Look … as those, and yellow too.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 132. The jaundice-tinctur’d primrose, sickly sere.
1858. Hogg, Veg. Kingd., 34. The bark of the Berberry … is said … to have proved highly efficacious in the cure of jaundice; hence, in some parts of the country, we have heard the plant called the Jaundice Berry.
1887. Westm. Rev., June, 281. Mr. Chamberlain’s views of the Irish people have become suffused with a jaundice colour.
