Jack-a-Dandy A term of endearment for a smart, bright little fellow; a Jemmy Jessamy.
"Smart she is, and handy, O!Jack-a-dandy. Slang for brandy. Dandy rhymes with brandy. (See Chivy.)
Sweet as sugar-candy, O! ...
And I'm her Jack-a-dandy, O!"
In Ireland "dandy" means whisky: but whisky = eau de vie; and eau de vie is brandy.
"Dimidium cyathi vero apud Methropolitanos Herbernicos dicitur Dandy." - Blackwood's Magazine, May, 1838 (Father Tom and the Pope).Jack-a-Lantern (A). A Will-o'-the-wisp, an ignis fatuus.
Jack-a-napes or Jackanapes = Jack of apes. An impertinent, vulgar prig. (See Jeannot.)
More likely,
it is Jack and ape, formed on the model of Jack-ass, a stupid fool.
"I will teach a scurvy jackanape priest to meddle or make." - Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, i. 4.Jack-Amend-All One of the nicknames given to Jack Cade the rebel, who promised to remedy all abuses.
Jack Brag (See Brag .)
Jack Drum's Entertainment A beating. (See John Drum's , etc.)
Jack Horner For solution see Notes and Queries, xvi. 156; xvii. 83. In Latin alcaics, thus:
"Sedens Johannes parvus in anguloJack Ketch Although this looks very much like a sobriquet, there seems no sufficient evidence to believe it to be otherwise than a real proper name. We are told that the name Jack was applied to hangmen from Richard Jaquett, to whom the manor of Tyburn once belonged. (See Hangmen.)
Hornerus edit crustula Christinica;
Et dixit, ut pruna extrahebat
Pollice, `Quam sum ego suavis infans!"
The Lincoln Herald, Jan. 13, 1832.
Jack Pudding A buffoon who performs pudding tricks, such as swallowing a certain number of yards of black-pudding. S. Bishop observes that each country names its stage buffoon from its favourite viands: The Dutchman calls him Pickel-herringë; the Germans, Hans Wurst (John Sausage); the Frenchman, Jean Potage; the Italian, Macaroni; and the English, Jack Pudding.
Jack Robinson Before you can say Jack Robinson. Immediately. Grose says that the saying had its
birth from a very volatile gentleman of that name, who used to pay flying visits to his neighbours, and
was no sooner announced than he was off again; but the following couplet does not confirm this derivation: -
"A warke it ys as easie to be doneJack Sprat A dwarf; as if sprats were dwarf mackerels. Children, by a similar metaphor, are called small fry.
As tys to saye Jacke! robys on. "
An old Play, cited by Halliwell: Arch. Dict.
Jack Tar A common sailor, whose hands and clothes are tarred by the ship tackling.
Jack and the Bean Stalk A nursery tale of German invention. The giant is All-Father, whose three treasures are (1) a harp - i.e. the wind; (2) bags full of treasures - i.e. the rain; and (3) the red hen which laid golden eggs - that is, the genial sun. Man avails himself of these treasures and becomes rich.
Jack of all Trades is Master of None In French, "Tout savoir est ne rien savoir. "
Jack o' both Sides A supernumerary who plays on both sides to make up a party; one who for profit or policy is quite colourless.