Jack
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: jack
Etymology
From Middle English Jackin, Jankin, a popular pet form of John; rarely also an anglicized form of French Jacques (equivalent of Jacob and James). It can be also used as nickname for Jacob. Though the name was originally a pet form, it has become more of an independent name. Equivalent to John + -kin, Jake or Jacques. See also Middle French Hennequin, Jannequin and Middle Dutch Janneken.
Pronunciation
Proper noun
Jack (countable and uncountable, plural Jacks)
- A unisex given name, also used as a pet form of John or more rarely, Jacob.
- c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
- Since every Jack became a gentleman
there's many a gentle person made a Jack.
- c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, with the Life and Death of Henry, Sirnamed Hot-spvrre”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, act II, scene iv, page 58, column 1:
- Heere comes leane Iacke, heere comes bare-bone. How now my ſweet Creature of Bombaſt, how long is't agoe, Iacke, ſince thou ſaw'ſt thine owne Knee?
- 1895, Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest […] , [Act I]:
- JACK. Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think that there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack, for instance, a charming name.
GWENDOLEN. Jack?...No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations...I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John!
- A surname.
- (colloquial) Jack Daniel's, a brand of Tennessee whiskey.
- 2009, "Ke$ha" (Kesha Rose Sebert), Tik Tok (song)
- Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack.
- 2017, Halsey, Ricky Reed, Justin Tranter, Rogét Chahayed, “Bad at Love”, in Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, performed by Halsey:
- Got a boy back home in Michigan / And it tastes like Jack when I'm kissing him / So I told him that I never really liked his friends / Now he's gone and he's calling me a bitch again
- 2009, "Ke$ha" (Kesha Rose Sebert), Tik Tok (song)
- An unincorporated community in Coffee County, Alabama, United States.
- An unincorporated community in Dent County, Missouri, United States.
- Ellipsis of Monterey Jack., a type of cheese.
Derived terms
Descendants
Translations
pet name of John
|
anglicized form of Jacques
|
Noun
Jack (plural Jacks)
- (informal) A placeholder or conventional name for any man, particularly a younger, lower-class man.
- (informal, archaic) Ellipsis of Jack Tar., a sailor.
- 1899, Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, section 1:
- When he went home on leave he rioted on a large scale—pompously. Jack ashore—with a difference—in externals only.
- (informal, archaic) Ellipsis of Jack Rum., a soldier.
- A jacqueminot rose.
Usage notes
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.
Synonyms
Coordinate terms
Derived terms
- all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
- every man Jack
- Jack and Jill
- Jack and Jill bathroom
- Jack and Jill bedroom
- Jack Benny
- Jack Frost
- Jack Ketch
- Jack the lad
- Jack o' the clock
- Jack of all trades
- Jack out of doors
- Jack Pudding
- Jack Robinson / before you can say Jack Robinson
- Jack Russell
- jacktar / Jack Tar
- Jack the Ripper
- Jack whore
- Union Jack
- Whispering Jack
Etymology
Proper noun
Jack
- a male given name
Etymology
From English Jack. First recorded as a Swedish name in 1883.
Pronunciation
Audio: (file)
Proper noun
Jack c (genitive Jacks)
- a male given name
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