Jack

See also jack

English

Wikipedia

Pronunciation

• enPR: jăk, IPA: /dʒæk/, X-SAMPA: /dZ{k/
• Rhymes: -æk

Etymology 1

Popular pet form of John through a Middle English form Jankin; rarely also an anglicized form of French Jacques (equivalent of Jacob and James). Though the name was originally a pet form, it has become more of an independent name.

Proper noun

Jack (plural Jacks)

1. A male given name, also used as a pet form of John.
   • ~1593 William Shakespeare: Richard III: Act I, Scene III:

     Since every Jack became a gentleman

     there's many a gentle person made a Jack.

   • 1895 Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest:

     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!

Derived terms

• diminutives: Jacky, Jackie
• surnames: Jackson

Translations

pet name of John

• Arabic: جاك (ar) (jak) m
• Bengali: জ্যাক (bn)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 傑克 (cmn), 杰克 (cmn) (Jiékè)

• Czech: Honza (cs) m, Honzík (cs) m
• Esperanto: Ĵakvo (eo)
• Finnish: Jussi (fi)
• German: Hans (de)
• Hindi: जैक (hi) (jaik)
• Italian: Giacomo (it)
• Japanese: ジャック (ja) (Jakku)
• Korean: 잭 (ko) (Jaek)

• Latin: Iohannes (la) m, Ioannes (la) m
• Maltese: Ġwakkin (mt)
• Marathi: जॅक (mr) (jǎka) m
• Persian: جک (fa) (Jak)
• Polish: Jacek (pl)
• Portuguese: João (pt) m, Jacó (pt) m
• Russian: Ваня (ru) (Vánja) m (cognate, short for: Иван (ru) (Iván) m, ), Джек (ru) (Džek) m (transliteration)
• Slovak: Jano (sk) m, Janko (sk) m
• Slovene: Janko (sl), Jani (sl)
• Welsh: Jac (cy)

Etymology 2

Short for Jack Tar.

Proper noun

Jack (plural Jacks)

1. (informal) 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.

Etymology 3

Short for Jack Rum.

Proper noun

Jack (plural Jacks)

1. (informal, archaic) a soldier

Etymology 4

Noun

Jack (uncountable)

1. (slang) Jack Daniel's, a brand of American whiskey.
   • 2009, "Ke$ha" (Kesha Rose Sebert), Tik Tok (song)

     Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack.

Derived terms

• all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
• every man Jack
• Jack Benny
• Jack Frost
• Jack Ketch
• Jack the lad
• Jack o' the clock
• Jack out of doors
• Jack Pudding
• Jack Robinson/before you can say Jack Robinson
• Jack Russell
• jacktar, Jack Tar
• Jack the Ripper
• Monterey Jack
• Union Jack

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Danish

Proper noun

Jack

1. A male given name borrowed from English.