Chapter Jack-a-Dandy to Jacobins of J by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Jack-a-Dandy to Jacobins

Jack-a-Dandy A term of endearment for a smart, bright little fellow; a Jemmy Jessamy.

"Smart she is, and handy, O!
Sweet as sugar-candy, O! ...
And I'm her Jack-a-dandy, O!"

   Jack-a-dandy. Slang for brandy. Dandy rhymes with brandy. (See Chivy.)
    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 angulo
Hornerus edit crustula Christinica;
Et dixit, ut pruna extrahebat
Pollice, `Quam sum ego suavis infans!"
The Lincoln Herald, Jan. 13, 1832.

Jack 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.)

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 done
As tys to saye Jacke! robys on. "
An old Play, cited by Halliwell: Arch. Dict.

Jack Sprat A dwarf; as if sprats were dwarf mackerels. Children, by a similar metaphor, are called small fry.

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.