jack
pronunciation
How to pronounce jack in British English:
UK [dʒæk]
How to pronounce jack in American English:
US [dʒæk]
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- Noun:
- a small worthless amount
- someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labor
- immense East Indian fruit resembling breadfruit of; its seeds are commonly roasted
- an electrical device consisting of a connector socket designed for the insertion of a plug
- game equipment consisting of one of several small objects picked up while bouncing a ball in the game of jacks
- small flag indicating a ship's nationality
- one of four face cards in a deck bearing a picture of a young prince
- tool for exerting pressure or lifting
- any of several fast-swimming predacious fishes of tropical to warm-temperate seas
- male donkey
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- Verb:
- lift with a special device
- hunt with a jacklight
Word Origin
- Jack
- masc. proper name, 1218, probably an anglicization of Old French Jacques (which was a diminutive of Latin Jacobus; see Jacob), but in English the name always has been associated with Johan, Jan "John," and some have argued that it is a native formation. Alliterative coupling of Jack and Jill is from 15c. (Ienken and Iulyan). In England, applied familiarly or contemptuously to anybody (especially one of the lower classes) from late 14c. Later used especially of sailors (1650s; Jack-tar is from 1781). In U.S., as a generic name addressed to an unknown stranger, attested from 1889.
- jack (n.)
- late 14c., jakke "a mechanical device," from the masc. name Jack. The proper name was used in Middle English for "any common fellow" (mid-14c.), and thereafter extended to various appliances replacing servants (1570s). Used generically of men (jack-of-all-trades, 1610s), male animals (1620s, see jackass, jackdaw, etc.), and male personifications (1520s, such as Jack Frost, 1826). As the name of a device for pulling off boots, from 1670s. The jack in a pack of playing cards (1670s) is in German Bauer "peasant." Jack shit "nothing at all" is attested by 1968, U.S. slang. The plant jack-in-the-pulpit is attested by 1837. Jack the Ripper was active in London 1888. The jack of Union Jack is a nautical term for "small flag at the bow of a ship" (1630s).
- jack (v.)
- 1860, jack up "hoist, raise," American English, from the noun (see jack (n.)). Figurative sense "increase (prices, etc.)" is 1904, American English. Related: Jacked; jacking. Jack off (v.) "to masturbate" is attested from 1916, probably from jack (n.) in the sense of "penis."
Example
- 1. What do we do until we hear from jack ?
- 2. A composite-video input on a vcr is normally a yellow rca jack .
- 3. Jack had dreaded the interview .
- 4. Question 46 who were jack and jim ?
- 5. I shook my head to jack .