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

Jack o' the Clock The figure which comes out to strike the hours on the bell of a clock. A contraction of Jaquemart (q.v.).

"King Richard. Well, but what's o'clock?
Buckingham. Upon the stroke of ten.
K. R. Well, let it strike.
R. Why let it strike?
K. R. Because that, like a jack, thou keep'st the
stroke
Betwixt thy begging and my mediation."
Shakespeare: Richard III., iv. 2.

Jack of Dover A stockfish, "hake salted and dried." The Latin for a hake is merlucius, and lucius is a jack or pike. Mer, of course, means the sea, and Dover, the chief Cinque Port, is used as a synonym. Also refuse wine collected into a bottle and sold for fresh wine. "To do-over again." (See Dover.)

"Many a Jack of Dover hastow sold
That hath been twyes hot and twyes cold."
Chaucer: Canterbury Tales.

Jack of Newbury John Winchcomb, the greatest clothier of the world, in the reign of Henry VIII. He kept 100 looms in his own house at Newbury, and equipped at his own expense 100 of his men to aid the king against the Scotch in Flodden Field.

Jack o' the Bowl The most famous brownie or house-spirit of Switzerland; so called from the custom of placing for him every night on the roof of the cow-house a bowl of fresh sweet cream. The contents of this bowl are sure to disappear before morning.

Jack Out of Office One no longer in office.

"I am left out; for me nothing remains.
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office"
Shakespeare: 1 Henry VI., I. I.

Jack the Giant-killer owed much of his success to his four marvellous possessions - an invisible coat, a cap of wisdom, shoes of swiftness, and a resistless sword. When he put on his coat no eye could see him; when he had his shoes on no one could overtake him; his sword would cut through everything; and when his cap was on he knew everything he required to know. Yonge says the story is based on the Scandinavian tale of Thor and Loki, while Masson maintains it to be a nursery version of the feats of Corineus in Geoffrey of Monmouth's marvellous history. I apprehend that neither of these suggestions will find many supporters.
    Military success depends (1) on an invisible coat, or secrecy, not letting the foe know your plans; (2) a cap of wisdom, or wise counsel; (3) shoes of swiftness, or attacking the foe before he is prepared; and (4) a resistless sword, or dauntless courage.

Jack the Ripper An unknown person who so called himself, and committed a series of murders in the East End of London on common prostitutes.
   The first was April 2nd, 1888: the next was August 7th; the third was August 31st; the fourth was September 8th; the fifth was September 30th, when two women were murdered; the sixth was November 9th; the seventh was December 20th, in a builder's yard; the eight was July 17th 1889, at Whitechapel; the ninth was September 17th.

Jack and James. Jewish, Jacob; French, Jacques, our "Jack," and Jacquemes, our "James." Jacques used to be the commonest name of France, hence the insurrection of the common people was termed the insurrection of the Jacques, or the Jacquerie; and a rustic used to be called a Jacques bon homme. The Scotch call Jack Jock.

Jackal A toady. One who does the dirty work of another. It was once thought that the jackals hunted in troops to provide the lion with prey, hence they were called the "lion's providers." No doubt the lion will at times avail himself of the jackal's assistance by appropriating prey started by these "hunters," but it would be folly to suppose that the jackal acted on the principle of vos non vobis. (See Honeycomb.)

Jacket The French jaquette, "little jack," a translation of the German Hanseline, a slop cut short.
   Jacket. The skin of a potato. Potatoes brought to table unpeeled are said to be "with their jackets on."
   To dust one's jacket. (See Dust.)

Jackson (See Stonewall .)