Alemannic German

Noun

Jass m ‎(diminutive Jässli)

1. (card games) jass

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• Gass (eastern Moselle Franconian)
• Gaß (western Moselle Franconian)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jas/

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *gatwǭ (compare German Gasse).

Noun

Jass f ‎(plural Jasse, diminutive Jässje)

1. (Ripuarian) lane, alley (small street)

Estonian

Proper noun

Jass

1. A male given name

Related terms

• Ants, Hannes, Hans, Jaan, Johan, Johannes, Juhan, Juho, Jukk, Juss

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /jas/

Noun

jass ‎(uncountable)

1. (card games) A trick-taking game popular in Switzerland.
   • 1986, Kenneth Hsu, The Great Dying:

     A Swiss jass master and I teamed up against my wife and an American, who were both rank beginners.

   • 2010, Diccon Bewes, Swiss Watching, p. 244:

     Jass is similar to bridge, though with completely different cards, and is a national obsession, for young and old alike.

   • 2014, Donal McLaughlin, translating Arno Camenisch, Behind the Station:

     When Nonna plays cards, she moves her teeth from side to side. It makes a bit of a racket. It distracts the other jass players – that's why Nonna's so good at jass.

Etymology 2

Obsolete and variant forms.

Noun

jass ‎(uncountable)

1. Obsolete spelling of jazz
   • 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 417:

     “Yet I've noticed the same thing when your band plays—the most amazing social coherence, as if you all shared the same brain.”

     “Sure,” agreed “Dope,” “but you can't call that organization.”

     “What do you call it?”

     “Jass.”