Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female donkey: The term "jenny" specifically refers to a female donkey, the counterpart to a male donkey, which is called a jack.
   • (Historical) A spinning machine: "jenny" can refer to a type of early spinning machine, specifically the "spinning jenny," which was a key invention in the Industrial Revolution.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Animal):
  • The farmer's jenny gave birth to a healthy foal.
  • They use a gentle jenny to carry supplies on the trail.
• Noun (Machine):
  • The invention of the jenny revolutionized textile production. (This usage typically appears in the compound form "spinning jenny").

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical or agricultural contexts. When referring to the machine, it is almost always part of the compound term "spinning jenny" to avoid confusion with the animal.

Variants and Related Words

• Spinning jenny (n): A multi-spindle spinning frame, invented in the 1760s by James Hargreaves.
  • The spinning jenny allowed one worker to spin eight or more spools of thread at once.
• Jack (n): A male donkey.

Synonyms

• She-ass: Another term for a female donkey.
• Spinning frame: A more general term for the type of machine.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The primary modern meaning is the female donkey.
• The machine-related meaning is largely historical and is recognized as part of the compound noun "spinning jenny." It is rare to see "jenny" used alone to mean the machine in contemporary English.

Noun

1. female donkey
2. United States architect who designed the first skyscraper in which a metal skeleton was used (1832-1907)