Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also jewel bag, jewelry) usu. in pl., the male genitals.

1465–71		Mankind line 429: neu gyse. A lasse master a lasse my privyte my privyte [...] Ye shall not choppe my Iewellys.
1607		G. Wilkins Miseries of an Enforced Marriage Act IV: Mine are precious cabinets, and must have precious jewels put into them, and I know you to be merchants of stock-fish, dry-meat, and not men for my market.
1631		T. Heywood Faire Maid of the West Pt I V i: Is this your Moorish preferment to rob a man of his best jewel.
c.1660		C. Cotton Valiant Knight 13: Here, take my Jewell, and my Treasure, And exercise your cruell Pleasure.
1732-1820		Order of the Beggar's Benison and Merryland (1892) 62: His jewels and furniture constantly working.
1733		Laugh and Be Fat 24: When she was fast locked in the Embraces of her new Bedfellow [she] to ask him what was become of those delicate rich Stones [...] My Dear, replied the Bridegroom, here they are at your Service, upon my word they are the individual Jewels my Uncle bid me thirty thousand pounds for.
1780		in F. Moore Songs and Ballads of the Amer. Revolution (1855) 307: Och! would you die, my jewel?
1842		‘A Slap Against the Garden Gate’ in Nancy Dawson’s Cabinet of Songs 19: For Lubin had promised to meet her there, / And showed to her his jewels rare.
1881		Sins of the Cities of the Plain 9: How I should like to handle such a manly jewel.
1898		Forbidden Fruit n.p.: [To] make the tips of the pliant birch even reach the jewel bag, which was about to shoot its balm of love into her sister.
1901		More Forbidden Fruit 16: I [...] must once more feel this fleshy jewel.
1916		N. Douglas London Street Games 22: As soon as the judge says ‘Therefore deliver up them golden jools’, the prisoner – no, I can’t tell you any more about the game. It’s rather rude.
c.1960		in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 306: If all the young ladies did not know the rules, / I’d have a great time just using my jewels.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 118: jewelry 1. male genitals.
1977		L. Heinemann Close Quarters (1987) 133: Come home, Sweetstick, and bring the jewels, I could dig some good downhome screwing.
1987		(con. 1967) E. Spencer Welcome to Vietnam (1989) 46: Most blacks, and myself, [...] cover the jewels. Right hand goes over the nuts.
1991		B. Hamper Rivethead (1992) 101: I wrote about having intercourse with a woman who damn near dejeweled me.
2001		‘David 19’ ‘The Tribes’ Eunuch Archives 🌐 He’s a loser – big time, not worthy of having a man’s jewels between his legs.
2013		IOL Cape News 7 Oct. 🌐 What’s the point of living if you don’t have your jewels.

2. (also jewel case, jewelery, jewelry, jewels) the vagina.

1546		J. Heywood Proverbs II Ch. iiii: Eche others byrdes or jewels, ye do weie / Above your owne.
1600		T. Heywood Edward IV (1874) I 67: shore: What came he heere to cheapen at our shop? jane: This jewell, loue.
c.1637		R. Brome Damoiselle II i: There will be some Rifling for some Jewell, / Or other rare Commodity.
1654		Mercurius Fumigosus 16 13–20 Sept. 146: Some Jewells were found about them of an unvaluable Price, with their Maiden-heads graven in Plates of Gold.
1706		[T. Betterton] Amorous Widow 42: Learn to merit that rich Jewel, which this moment I put within your Power.
1748–9		Cleland Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (1985) 118: The inestimable bulse of lady’s jewels.
1788		‘Reilly’s Praise of his Lovely Molly’ Irish Songster 3: I count it a pleasure my jewel to ease you.
1836		‘Come, Sleep With Me’ Frisky Vocalist 31: Our bed shall be, / A pleasant place that’s in King’s Place, / Where I’ll shew you my jewel case.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1896		Farmer Vocabula Amatoria (1966) 167: Joyau [...] 2. The female pudendum; ‘the jewel’.
[1903		Kate Percival Life & Amours (1967) I 28: Between her ivory thighs we could see the panting lips of her luscious bijou].
1927		‘Jargon of the Und.’ in DN V 451: Jewelery, (2) A woman’s sexual organs.
[1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 132: jewelry A woman’s genitals].
1999		D. Lypchuk ‘A dirty little story’ in eye mag. 8 July 🌐 On the jewelled terrace he growled at the badger, blew some tunes and went way down south in Dixie, where he found himself grinning in the canyon.

3. (US/Irish-Amer.) a fellow, a man, oft. as a term of address; occas. used of women.

[1683		Whores Rhetorick 129: How does my Jewel do to Day, and how has she digested the Documents she lately received?
1726		Select Trials at Old Bailey (1742) I 159: I could plainly hear him kiss the Boy, and call him his Dear, and his Jewel, and his precious little Rogue.
1740		Sailor’s Lamentation for the Loss of his Love 8: Her Mother said to him my Jewel, Unto my Daughter be not cruel.
1754		T. Sheridan Brave Irishman I ii: Arra, my jewel, I’ll tell you the whole story.
1766		H. Brooke Fool of Quality II 150: Says Mrs. Snarle to her Mate, in a languid soft Voice, my Dear, and my Jewel, ’tis all along of you that I am thus haunted.
1776		New Brooms! I: Oh, you’re welcome as the flowers in May, my jewel.
1787		Adventures of Jonathan Corncob 71: ‘Fie! fie! my jewel,’ said he.
c.1790		in J.E. Walsh Ireland Ninety Years Ago (1885) 82: When the wretched Jemmy O’Brien was about to be executed, he exhibited the greatest terror, and lingered over his devotions, to protract his life thus for a few moments. Galvin [the executioner] [...] called out at the door [...] ‘Mr. O’Brien, jewel, long life to you, make haste wid your prayers; de people is getting tired under de swingswong.’.
1806		G. Colman Yngr John Bull III ii: Eat and drink, my jewel.
c.1813		‘Captain Mulligan’ in Wellington’s Laurels 4: O, you jewel!
1821		‘A Real Paddy’ Real Life in Ireland 11: Och, Phelim O’Shambles! och, Phelim, my jewel!
1823		Devizes & Wilts Gaz. 25 Dec. 4/1: Long life to you jewel (says I).
1831		Satirist (London) 15 May 44/3: ‘Miss Green; what is the price of cod, my jewel’.
1832		S. Lover Legends and Stories 10: And with that, my jewel, she tuk to her heels.
1838		R. Nicholson Cockney Adventures 3 Feb. 111: What the devil is the matter wid yer, me jewel?
1845		D. Corcoran Pickings from N.O. Picayune (1847) 32: Biddy, Biddy, jewel, be aisy.
1856		Huddersfield Chron. 2 Aug. 3/3: So, says I, captain jewel, I wish we had a gridiron.
1863		‘Paddy’s Rambles’ in Donnybrook-Fair Comic Songster 13: I don’t want your quarters, my jewel.
1872		‘Going to Vote for Greeley’ in Farmer of Chappaqua Songster 23: I’m going to vote for Greeley, / He’s the jewel, dear, for me!
1884		R.C. Hartranft Journal of Solomon Sidesplitter 17: ‘Can we have no sixpences, my jewel,’ said Pat.
1900		Marvel XV:367 Nov. 1: Let me hold it a minute [...] do, there’s a jewel!
1908		J. Guinan Soggarth Aroon 81: Sure it was to be, Father jewel!
1925		L. Mackay Mourne Folk 19: Nothin’ at all, me jewel.
c.1930		(ref. to late 19C) N. Kimball Amer. Madam (1981) 251: He was a real Southern jewel.
1956		B. Behan Quare Fellow (1960) Act I: Him and this other jewel here.