English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.dʒæks/

Proper noun

Ajax

1. (Greek mythology) Either of two heroes of the Trojan War.

Translations

Etymology 2

Humorous respelling of a jakes.

Noun

Ajax

1. (now rare, historical) A toilet.
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, III.13:

     I say this much of this action, that it is requisite we should remit the same unto certaine prescribed night-houres, and by custome (as I have done) force and subject our selves unto it; But not (as I have done), growing in yeeres, strictly tie himselfe to the care of a particular convenient place, and of a commodious Ajax or easie close-stoole for that purpose, and make it troublesome with long sitting and nice observation.

Etymology 3

Short for asynchronous JavaScript and XML.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.dʒæks/

Alternative forms

• AJAX

Proper noun

Ajax

1. (computing) A group of techniques for creating interactive Web applications, in which applications can retrieve data from the server asynchronously in the background without interfering with the display and behavior of the existing page.
   • 2005, Jesse James Garrett, Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications

     An Ajax application eliminates the start-stop-start-stop nature of interaction on the Web by…

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ.jəks/

Proper noun

Ajax

1. (sports) Ajax Amsterdam

Etymology 5

Phonetic similarity to ace jack.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.dʒæks/

Noun

Ajax

1. (poker slang) An ace and a jack as a starting hand in Texas hold 'em.

References

• Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. ISBN 978-1880069523

Etymology 6

Proper noun

Ajax

1. A town in Ontario, Canada
2. A ghost town in Utah
3. An unincorporated community in South Dakota
4. An unincorporated community in West Virginia
5. An unincorporated community in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

English

Preposition

ajax

1. (Polari) Nearby, over there
   • 1985, Peter Burton, Parallel Lives, page 38

     In the bar we would stand with our sisters, varda (look at) the bona cartes (male genitals) on the butch homme (man, pronounced o-me) ajax (nearby), who, if we fluttered our ogle riahs (eye lashes) at him sweetly, might just troll over to offer a light for the unlit vogue (cigarette) clenched between out teeth. [The explanations in round brackets are by Peter Burton]

   • 2004, Paul Baker, Fanatabulosa: A Dictionary of Polari and Gay Slang, page 1

     Oh, vada well that omee-palone ajax who just trolled in[.]

   • 2006, Matt Houlbrook, Queer London: Perils and Pleasures in the Sexual Metropolis, 1918-1957, page 152

     [O]oh[,] will just vada that filiomi ajax[.]