Jack
English
Lua error in Module:interproject at line 59: Parameter "dab" is not used by this template.
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English 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.
See also Middle French Hennequin, Jannequin and Middle Dutch Janneken.
Proper noun
Jack (plural Jacks)
- A male given name from Hebrew, also used as a pet form of John.
- c. 1593 William Shakespeare: Richard III: 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:
- 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!
- c. 1593 William Shakespeare: Richard III: Act I, Scene III:
- A surname
Derived terms
- Jack County
- Jacksboro
- diminutives: Jacky, Jackie
- surnames: Jackson
Descendants
Translations
|
Etymology 2
From the common name above.
Noun
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
- 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.
- 1899, Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, section 1
- (informal, archaic) a 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.
Etymology 3
Proper noun
Jack (uncountable)
- (slang) Jack Daniel's, a brand of American whiskey.
- 2009, "Ke$ha" (Kesha Rose Sebert), Tik Tok (song)
- Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack.
- 2009, "Ke$ha" (Kesha Rose Sebert), Tik Tok (song)
Derived terms
Danish
Etymology
Proper noun
Jack
- a male given name.
Swedish
Etymology
From English Jack. First recorded as a Swedish name in 1883.
Proper noun
Jack c (genitive Jacks)
- a male given name.
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/æk
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from French
- English lemmas
- English proper nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English given names
- English male given names
- English male given names from Hebrew
- English terms with quotations
- English surnames
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English informal terms
- English terms with archaic senses
- English slang
- English diminutives of male given names
- Danish terms derived from English
- Danish lemmas
- Danish proper nouns
- Danish terms spelled with C
- Danish given names
- Danish male given names
- Swedish terms derived from English
- Swedish lemmas
- Swedish proper nouns
- Swedish common-gender nouns
- Swedish given names
- Swedish male given names