jack, jackass
(noun) male donkey
jack
(noun) any of several fast-swimming predacious fishes of tropical to warm temperate seas
jack
(noun) tool for exerting pressure or lifting
jack, knave
(noun) one of four face cards in a deck bearing a picture of a young prince
jack
(noun) small flag indicating a ship’s nationality
jack, jackstones
(noun) game equipment consisting of one of several small six-pointed metal pieces that are picked up while bouncing a ball in the game of jacks
jack
(noun) an electrical device consisting of a connector socket designed for the insertion of a plug
jack
(noun) a small ball at which players aim in lawn bowling
jackfruit, jak, jack
(noun) immense East Indian fruit resembling breadfruit; it contains an edible pulp and nutritious seeds that are commonly roasted
laborer, manual laborer, labourer, jack
(noun) someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labor
mariner, seaman, tar, Jack-tar, Jack, old salt, seafarer, gob, sea dog
(noun) a man who serves as a sailor
jack, doodly-squat, diddly-squat, diddlysquat, diddly-shit, diddlyshit, diddly, diddley, squat, shit
(noun) a small worthless amount; “you don’t know jack”
jacklight, jack
(verb) hunt with a jacklight
jack, jack up
(verb) lift with a special device; “jack up the car so you can change the tire”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
jack (plural jacks)
A coarse mediaeval coat of defence, especially one made of leather. [from 14th c.]
jack (plural jacks)
A man.
(chiefly, capitalized) A name applied to a hypothetical or typical man. [from 14th c.]
(countable, now, chiefly, US) A man, a fellow; a typical man; men in general. [from 16th c.]
(colloquial) A sailor. [from 17th c.]
(slang) A policeman or detective; (Australia) a military policeman. [from 19th c.]
(now, rare) A manual laborer. [from 19th c.]
(North America, colloquial) A lumberjack. [from 20th c.]
A device or utensil.
A device for turning a spit; a smokejack or roasting jack. [from 14th c.]
Each of a series of blocks in a harpsichord, communicating the action of the key to the quill; sometime also, a hopper in a modern piano. [from 16th c.]
(obsolete) A support for wood being swan; a sawhorse or sawbuck. [16th–19th c.]
A device used to hold a boot by the heel, to assist in removing the boot. [from 17th c.]
A mechanical device used to raise and (temporarily) support a heavy object, now especially to lift one side of a motor vehicle when (e.g.) changing a tyre. [from 17th c.]
Any of various levers for raising or lowering the sinkers which push the loops down on the needles in a knitting machine or stocking frame. [from 18th c.]
(mining, now, rare) A wedge for separating rocks rent by blasting. [from 19th c.]
(obsolete) A grating device used to separate and guide the threads in a warping machine; a heck box. [19th c.]
(obsolete) A machine for twisting the sliver as it leaves a carding machine, in the preparation of yarn. [19th–20th c.]
(electronics) A switch for a jack plug, a jackknife switch; (more generally) a socket used to connect a device to a circuit, network etc. [from 19th c.]
A non-tool object or thing.
(now, historical, regional) A pitcher or other vessel for holding liquid, especially alcoholic drink; a black-jack. [from 16th c.]
(card games) The lowest court card, ranking between the 10 and queen, with an image of a knave or pageboy on it; a knave. [from 17th c.]
(bowls) A small, typically white, ball used as the target ball in bowls; a jack-ball. [from 17th c.]
(nautical) A small ship's flag used as a signal or identifying device; a small flag flown at the bow of the vessel. [from 17th c.]
(UK, regional, now, rare, historical) A measure of liquid corresponding to a quarter of a pint. [from 18th c.]
(obsolete, slang) A fake coin designed to look like a sovereign. [19th c.]
(nautical, now, rare, historical) A jack crosstree. [from 19th c.]
(games) A small, six-pointed playing piece used in the game of jacks. [from 19th c.]
(US) A torch or other light used in hunting to attract or dazzle game at night. [from 19th c.]
(slang, chiefly, US) Money. [from 19th c.]
(colloquial, euphemistic) Nothing, jack shit. [from 20th c.]
(cricket, slang) The eleventh batsman to come to the crease in an innings.
(slang, Appalachians) A smooth often ovoid large gravel or small cobble in a natural water course.
A plant or animal.
A pike, especially when young. [from 16th c.]
(chiefly, US) A male ass, especially when kept for breeding. [from 17th c.]
Any of the marine fish in the family Carangidae. [from 17th c.]
Synonym: jack mackerel
(US) A jackrabbit. [from 19th c.]
A large California rockfish, the bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis.
Mangifera caesia, related to the mango tree.
• (playing card): knave
• (male ass): jackass
• (female ended electrical connector): plug
jack (third-person singular simple present jacks, present participle jacking, simple past and past participle jacked)
(transitive) To raise using a jack.
(transitive) To raise or increase.
To produce by freeze distillation; to distil (an alcoholic beverage) by freezing it and removing the ice (which is water), leaving the alcohol (which remains liquid).
(transitive, colloquial) To steal something, typically an automobile. Shortened form of carjacking.
(intransitive) To dance by moving the torso forward and backward in a rippling motion.
jack (comparative more jack, superlative most jack)
(AU) Tired, disillusioned; fed up (with). [from 19th c.]
jack (plural jacks)
The edible fruit of the Asian tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus); also the tree itself. [from 16th c.]
jack (plural jacks)
(slang, baseball) A home run.
jack (third-person singular simple present jacks, present participle jacking, simple past and past participle jacked)
(transitive, slang, baseball) To hit (the ball) hard; especially, to hit (the ball) out of the field, producing a home run.
Jack (plural Jacks)
A male given name from Hebrew, also used as a pet form of John.
A surname.
From the common name above.
Jack (plural Jacks)
(informal) a placeholder or conventional name for any man, particularly a younger, lower-class man
(informal, archaic) a Jack Tar, a sailor
(informal, archaic) a Jack Rum, a soldier
A jacqueminot rose.
Despite being a common noun, the word is still treated as a name and capitalized as such. The name is most often used with a descriptive "surname", showing the type of lad intended.
Jack (uncountable)
(slang) Jack Daniel's, a brand of American whiskey.
Source: Wiktionary
Jack, n. Etym: [Pg. jaca, Malayalam, tsjaka.] (Bot.)
Definition: A large tree, the Artocarpus integrifolia, common in the East Indies, closely allied to the breadfruit, from which it differs in having its leaves entire. The fruit is of great size, weighing from thirty to forty pounds, and through its soft fibrous matter are scattered the seeds, which are roasted and eaten. The wood is of a yellow color, fine grain, and rather heavy, and is much used in cabinetwork. It is also used for dyeing a brilliant yellow. [Written also jak.]
Jack, n. Etym: [F. Jacques James, L. Jacobus, Gr. Ya 'aq Jacob; prop., seizing by the heel; hence, a supplanter. Cf. Jacobite, Jockey.]
1. A familiar nickname of, or substitute for, John. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby. Shak.
2. An impertinent or silly fellow; a simpleton; a boor; a clown; also, a servant; a rustic. "Jack fool." Chaucer. Since every Jack became a gentleman, There 's many a gentle person made a Jack. Shak.
3. A popular colloquial name for a sailor; -- called also Jack tar, and Jack afloat.
4. A mechanical contrivance, an auxiliary machine, or a subordinate part of a machine, rendering convenient service, and often supplying the place of a boy or attendant who was commonly called Jack; as: (a) A device to pull off boots. (b) A sawhorse or sawbuck. (c) A machine or contrivance for turning a spit; a smoke jack, or kitchen jack. (b) (Mining) A wooden wedge for separating rocks rent by blasting. (e) (Knitting Machine) A lever for depressing the sinkers which push the loops down on the needles. (f) (Warping Machine) A grating to separate and guide the threads; a heck box. (g) (Spinning) A machine for twisting the sliver as it leaves the carding machine. (h) A compact, portable machine for planing metal. (i) A machine for slicking or pebbling leather. (k) A system of gearing driven by a horse power, for multiplying speed. (l) A hood or other device placed over a chimney or vent pipe, to prevent a back draught. (m) In the harpsichord, an intermediate piece communicating the action of the key to the quill; -- called also hopper. (n) In hunting, the pan or frame holding the fuel of the torch used to attract game at night; also, the light itself. C. Hallock.
5. A portable machine variously constructed, for exerting great pressure, or lifting or moving a heavy body through a small distance. It consists of a lever, screw, rack and pinion, hydraulic press, or any simple combination of mechanical powers, working in a compact pedestal or support and operated by a lever, crank, capstan bar, etc. The name is often given to a jackscrew, which is a kind of jack.
6. The small bowl used as a mark in the game of bowls. Shak. Like an uninstructed bowler who thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straight forward upon it. Sir W. Scott.
7. The male of certain animals, as of the ass.
8. (Zoöl.) (a) A young pike; a pickerel. (b) The jurel. (c) A large, California rock fish (Sebastodes paucispinus); -- called also boccaccio, and mérou. (d) The wall-eyed pike.
9. A drinking measure holding half a pint; also, one holding a quarter of a pint. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
10. (Naut.) (a) A flag, containing only the union, without the fly, usually hoisted on a jack staff at the bowsprit cap; -- called also union jack. The American jack is a small blue flag, with a star for each State. (b) A bar of iron athwart ships at a topgallant masthead, to support a royal mast, and give spread to the royal shrouds; -- called also jack crosstree. R. H. Dana, Jr.
11. The knave of a suit of playing cards.
Note: Jack is used adjectively in various senses. It sometimes designates something cut short or diminished in size; as, a jack timber; a jack rafter; a jack arch, etc. Jack arch, an arch of the thickness of one brick.
– Jack back (Brewing & Malt Vinegar Manuf.), a cistern which receives the wort. See under 1st Back.
– Jack block (Naut.), a block fixed in the topgallant or royal rigging, used for raising and lowering light masts and spars.
– Jack boots, boots reaching above the knee; -- worn in the 17 century by soldiers; afterwards by fishermen, etc.
– Jack crosstree. (Naut.) See 10, b, above.
– Jack curlew (Zoöl.), the whimbrel.
– Jack frame. (Cotton Spinning) See 4 (g), above.
– Jack Frost, frost personified as a mischievous person.
– Jack hare, a male hare. Cowper.
– Jack lamp, a lamp for still hunting and camp use. See def. 4 (n.), above.
– Jack plane, a joiner's plane used for coarse work.
– Jack post, one of the posts which support the crank shaft of a deep-well-boring apparatus.
– Jack pot (Poker Playing), the name given to the stakes, contributions to which are made by each player successively, till such a hand is turned as shall take the "pot," which is the sum total of all the bets.
– Jack rabbit (Zoöl.), any one of several species of large American hares, having very large ears and long legs. The California species (Lepus Californicus), and that of Texas and New Mexico (L. callotis), have the tail black above, and the ears black at the tip. They do not become white in winter. The more northern prairie hare (L. campestris) has the upper side of the tail white, and in winter its fur becomes nearly white.
– Jack rafter (Arch.), in England, one of the shorter rafters used in constructing a hip or valley roof; in the United States, any secondary roof timber, as the common rafters resting on purlins in a trussed roof; also, one of the pieces simulating extended rafters, used under the eaves in some styles of building.
– Jack salmon (Zoöl.), the wall-eyed pike, or glasseye.
– Jack sauce, an impudent fellow. [Colloq. & Obs.] -- Jack shaft (Mach.), the first intermediate shaft, in a factory or mill, which receives power, through belts or gearing, from a prime mover, and transmits it, by the same means, to other intermediate shafts or to a line shaft.
– Jack sinker (Knitting Mach.), a thin iron plate operated by the jack to depress the loop of thread between two needles.
– Jack snipe. (Zoöl.) See in the Vocabulary.
– Jack staff (Naut.), a staff fixed on the bowsprit cap, upon which the jack is hoisted.
– Jack timber (Arch.), any timber, as a rafter, rib, or studding, which, being intercepted, is shorter than the others.
– Jack towel, a towel hung on a roller for common use.
– Jack truss (Arch.), in a hip roof, a minor truss used where the roof has not its full section.
– Jack tree. (Bot.) See 1st Jack, n.
– Jack yard (Naut.), a short spar to extend a topsail beyond the gaff. Blue jack, blue vitriol; sulphate of copper.
– Hydraulic jack, a jack used for lifting, pulling, or forcing, consisting of a compact portable hydrostatic press, with its pump and a reservoir containing a supply of liquid, as oil.
– Jack-at-a-pinch. (a) One called upon to take the place of another in an emergency. (b) An itinerant parson who conducts an occasional service for a fee.
– Jack-at-all-trades, one who can turn his hand to any kind of work.
– Jack-by-the-hedge (Bot.), a plant of the genus Erysimum (E. alliaria, or Alliaria officinalis), which grows under hedges. It bears a white flower and has a taste not unlike garlic. Called also, in England, sauce-alone. Eng. Cyc.
– Jack-in-a-box. (a) (Bot.) A tropical tree (Hernandia sonora), which bears a drupe that rattles when dry in the inflated calyx. (b) A child's toy, consisting of a box, out of which, when the lid is raised, a figure springs. (c) (Mech.) An epicyclic train of bevel gears for transmitting rotary motion to two parts in such a manner that their relative rotation may be variable; applied to driving the wheels of tricycles, road locomotives, and to cotton machinery, etc.; an equation box; a jack frame; -- called also compensating gearing. (d) A large wooden screw turning in a nut attached to the crosspiece of a rude press.
– Jack-in-office, an insolent fellow in authority. Wolcott.
– Jack-in-the-bush (Bot.), a tropical shrub with red fruit (Cordia Cylindrostachya).
– Jack-in-the-green, a chimney sweep inclosed in a framework of boughs, carried in Mayday processions.
– Jack-in-the-pulpit (Bot.), the American plant Arisæma triphyllum, or Indian turnip, in which the upright spadix is inclosed.
– Jack-of-the-buttery (Bot.), the stonecrop (Sedum acre).
– Jack-of-the-clock, a figure, usually of a man, on old clocks, which struck the time on the bell.
– Jack-on-both-sides, one who is or tries to be neutral.
– Jack-out-of-office, one who has been in office and is turned out. Shak.
– Jack the Giant Killer, the hero of a well-known nursery story.
– Jack-with-a-lantern, Jack-o'-lantern. (a) An ignis fatuus; a will-o'-the-wisp. "[Newspaper speculations] supplying so many more jack-o'-lanterns to the future historian." Lowell. (b) A lantern made of a pumpkin so prepared as to show in illumination the features of a human face, etc.
– Yellow Jack (Naut.), the yellow fever; also, the quarantine flag. See Yellow flag, under Flag.
Jack, n. Etym: [F. jaque, jacque, perh. from the proper name Jacques. Cf. Jacquerie.]
Definition: A coarse and cheap mediæval coat of defense, esp. one made of leather. Their horsemen are with jacks for most part clad. Sir J. Harrington.
Jack, n. Etym: [Named from its resemblance to a jack boot.]
Definition: A pitcher or can of waxed leather; -- called also black jack. [Obs.] Dryden.
Jack, v. i.
Definition: To hunt game at night by means of a jack. See 2d Jack, n., 4, n.
Jack, v. t.
Definition: To move or lift, as a house, by means of a jack or jacks. See 2d Jack, n., 5.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 December 2024
(noun) Australian tree having hard white timber and glossy green leaves with white flowers followed by one-seeded glossy blue fruit
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
