First Known Use: 1548
Dictionary
1jack
noun \ˈjak\
: a device used for lifting something heavy (such as a car)
: a playing card that has a picture of a soldier or servant and that is worth more than a ten and less than a queen
: a small opening where something connects with a wire to something else
Full Definition of JACK
1
a : man —usually used as an intensive in such phrases as every man jack b often capitalized : sailor c (1) : servant, laborer (2) : lumberjack
2
: any of various usually mechanical devices: as a : a device for turning a spit b : a usually portable mechanism or device for exerting pressure or lifting a heavy body a short distance
3
: something that supports or holds in position: as a : an iron bar at a topgallant masthead to support a royal mast and spread the royal shrouds b : a wooden brace fastened behind a scenic unit in a stage set to prop it up
4
a : any of several fishes; especially : any of various carangids b : a male donkey c : jackrabbit d : any of several birds (as a jackdaw)
5
a : a small white target ball in lawn bowling b : a small national flag flown by a ship c (1) plural but sing in constr : a game played with a set of small objects that are tossed, caught, and moved in various figures (2) : a small 6-pointed metal object used in the game of jacks
6
a : a playing card carrying the figure of a soldier or servant and ranking usually below the queen b : jackpot 1a(2)
7
slang : money
8
: a female fitting in an electric circuit used with a plug to make a connection with another circuit
10
: jackknife 2
11
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Origin of JACK
Middle English Jacke, familiar term of address to a social inferior, nickname for Johan John
Related to JACK
- Synonyms
- bread [slang], bucks, cabbage [slang], cash, change, chips, coin, currency, dough, gold, green, money [slang], kale [slang], legal tender, lolly [British], long green [slang], loot, lucre, moola (or moolah) [slang], needful, pelf, scratch [slang], shekels (also sheqels or shekelim or shekalim or sheqalim), tender, wampum
2jack
verb
Definition of JACK
intransitive verb
: to hunt or fish at night with a jacklight
transitive verb
1
: to hunt or fish for at night with a jacklight
2
a : to move or lift by or as if by a jack b : to raise the level of —usually used with up <jack up the price> c : to take to task
— jack·er noun
See jack defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of JACK
circa 1841
JACK Defined for Kids
1jack
noun \ˈjak\
Definition of JACK for Kids
1
: a device for lifting something heavy a short distance
2
: a playing card with the picture of a young man
3
: a small six-pointed usually metal object used in a children's game (jacks)
4
: a socket used with a plug to connect one electric circuit with another
2jack
verb
jackedjack·ing
Definition of JACK for Kids
: to move or lift with a special device <We need to jack up the car.>
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