jasper

jasper
jasper1
/jas"peuhr/, n.
1. a compact, opaque, cryptocrystalline variety of quartz, usually colored red: often used in decorative carvings.
2. Also called cameo ware, jasperware. a fine, hard stoneware introduced c1775 by Wedgwood, stained various colors by metallic oxides, with raised designs in white.
[1300-50; ME jaspe, jaspre < MF; OF jaspe < L iaspis < Gk iáspis < Sem; cf. Ar yashb]
jasper2
/jas"peuhr/, n. Older Slang.
a fellow; guy.
[1895-1900, Amer.; special use of proper name Jasper]

* * *

I
Opaque, fine-grained or dense variety of the silica mineral chert that exhibits various colours, but chiefly brick red to brownish red.

Long used for jewelry and ornamentation, it has a dull lustre but takes a fine polish; its physical properties are those of quartz. Jasper is common and widely distributed, occurring in the Ural Mountains, North Africa, Sicily, Germany, and elsewhere. For thousands of years, black jasper was used to test gold-silver alloys for their gold content. Rubbing the alloys on the stone, called a touchstone, produces a streak the colour of which determines the gold content within 1 part in 100.
II
(as used in expressions)
Johns Jasper
Jaspers Karl Theodor

* * *

      city, seat (1824) of Walker county, northwestern Alabama, U.S., about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of Birmingham. Settled in 1815, it was named for Sergeant William Jasper, a defender of Fort Moultrie (then Fort Sullivan) during the American Revolution. It developed after the arrival of the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham and the Sheffield and Birmingham railroads in 1886. Coal, timber, and poultry processing are the major contributors to the city's economy. The manufacture of furniture is also important. William B. Bankhead, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1936–40), and his actress daughter, Tallulah (Bankhead, Tallulah), lived in Jasper. William B. Bankhead National Forest is 15 miles (24 km) north. Lewis Smith Lake, with 500 miles (800 km) of shoreline, provides recreational opportunities. The Alabama Mining Museum, in nearby Dora, commemorates the importance of coal mining in the state's history. The Foothills Festival, featuring a variety of activities and entertainment, is held annually in October. Jasper has a campus of Bevill State Community College. Inc. 1888. Pop. (1990) 13,553; (2000) 14,052.

 unincorporated place, western Alberta, Canada. It lies at the confluence of the Athabasca and Miette rivers, within the boundaries of Jasper National Park. It takes its name from Jasper Hawes, who in 1817 was given charge of a fur-trading post that had been established some years earlier on the Athabasca River. Since the conservation of the area (1907) as a national park and the building of the Jasper Park Lodge (1922), the locality, overlooked by spectacular peaks, has become a popular Canadian Rocky Mountain resort. Maligne and Pyramid lakes, Miette Hotsprings, Mount Edith Cavell, and the Columbia Icefield are among the local attractions. Jasper is a divisional point on the Canadian National Railway and is strategically situated at the junction of the Yellowhead Highway and the Icefields Parkway. Unlike Banff, Jasper is still administered by the national park authorities. Pop. (2006) 4,265.

      county, southern South Carolina, U.S. It is bounded to the west by the Savannah River border with Georgia. The county's short southern coast along the Atlantic Ocean includes a portion of the Sea Islands and, at the southern tip, Tybee National Wildlife Refuge. Jasper county consists of coastal terrain featuring salt marshes and, farther inland, flat Coastal Plain lowlands. Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, noted for its profusion of migratory birds, lies along the Savannah River. Most of the county is forested, with pine plantations and lowland hardwoods predominant.

      In the colonial era the region was the site of battles with Cusabo Indians. During the American Civil War it was devastated by Union troops who were moving northward after their capture of Savannah, Georgia. Jasper county was formed in 1912 and named for William Jasper, a soldier in the American Revolution.

      The lumber industry is the basis of the economy, which is also aided by the county's proximity to the city of Savannah. Ridgeland is the county seat, and Hardeeville is the largest town. Area 654 square miles (1,695 square km). Pop. (2000) 20,678; (2007 est.) 21,953.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jasper — is an opaque, [ [http://www.mindat.org/min 2082.html Mindat: Jasper profile] ] impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow or brown in color. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be… …   Wikipedia

  • Jasper — Jasper, MO U.S. city in Missouri Population (2000): 1011 Housing Units (2000): 454 Land area (2000): 1.096782 sq. miles (2.840653 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.020811 sq. miles (0.053899 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.117593 sq. miles (2.894552 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Jasper — ist ein männlicher Vorname sowie ein Familienname, siehe Jasper (Name) Jasper heißen die US amerikanischen Orte Jasper (Alabama) Jasper (Arkansas) Jasper (Florida) Jasper (Georgia) Jasper (Indiana) Jasper (Michigan) Jasper (Minnesota) Jasper… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • jasper — [ ʒaspe ] v. tr. <conjug. : 1> • 1564; de jaspe ♦ Bigarrer par bandes ou par taches irrégulières pour donner un aspect jaspé. Jasper les tranches d un volume. ⇒ marbrer. ● jasper verbe transitif (de jaspe) Bigarrer quelque chose par bandes… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Jasper — Jas per, n. [OE. jaspre, jaspe, OF. jaspre, jaspe, F. jaspe, L. iaspis, Gr. ?; cf. Per. yashp, yashf, Ar. yashb, yasb, yasf, Heb. y[=a]shpheh. Cf. {Diaper}.] (Min.) An opaque, impure variety of quartz, of red, yellow, and other dull colors,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • JasPer — is a project to create a reference implementation of the codec specified in the JPEG 2000 Part 1 standard, (ie. ISO/IEC 15444 1). The project was started by Image Power, Inc. and the University of British Columbia. It consists of a C library and… …   Wikipedia

  • Jasper [2] — Jasper, 1) Grafschaft im Staate Georgia (Nordamerika); 16 QM.; Flüsse: Ocmulgee River, Rocky, Falling, Murder u. Cedar Creeks; Producte: Baumwolle, Mais, Hafer u. Bataten; Gold u. Eisen; 1807 organisirt u. genannt nach Sergeant Jasper, welcher… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Jasper — Jasper, en la provincia de Alberta, Canadá es un pueblo de apenas unos 1500 habitantes, enclavado en las Montañas Rocosas, al cual se llega a través de autopista o tren. Llamada así por el fundador del pueblo, y siendo originalmente una posta de… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Jasper, AL — U.S. city in Alabama Population (2000): 14052 Housing Units (2000): 6473 Land area (2000): 26.870043 sq. miles (69.593089 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.011886 sq. miles (0.030785 sq. km) Total area (2000): 26.881929 sq. miles (69.623874 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Jasper, AR — U.S. city in Arkansas Population (2000): 498 Housing Units (2000): 261 Land area (2000): 0.529541 sq. miles (1.371504 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.529541 sq. miles (1.371504 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Jasper, FL — U.S. city in Florida Population (2000): 1780 Housing Units (2000): 878 Land area (2000): 1.953500 sq. miles (5.059541 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.953500 sq. miles (5.059541 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”