Jack-the-painter, subs. (Australian). A much adulterated green tea used in the bush.
1852. Munday, Our Antipodes, [quoted in 'Slang, Jargon, & Cant.']. Another notorious ration tea of the bush is called jack-the-painter.
Jack-the-slipper, subs. (thieves'). The treadmill. For synonyms see Wheel of life.
To jack the interim, verb. (thieves').—To be remanded.
To jack up, verb. (common).—To clinch; to abandon; to chuck; (q.v.); jacked-up = ruined; done for.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xix. Not but what I'd had a lot to bear, and took a deal of punishment before he jacked up.
1889. Answers, 23 March, p. 265, col. 2. When a man jacks up his work—will not do his tasks that is to say.
Jack Adams, subs. (old).—A fool.
For synonyms see Buffle and
Cabbage-head.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew., s.v.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Jack Adams, a fool. Jack Adams' Parish, Clerkenwell.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1812. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1883. Clark Russell, Sailor's Language, s.v.
Jack-a-dandy, subs. (old).—1. A
little fop; a coxcomb; a dandi-*prat
(q.v.): also jack dandy.
For synonyms see Dandy.
1632. Brome, Northern Lass, iii. 2. I'll throw him into the dock rather than that he shall succeed jack-o-dandy.
1664. Etherege, Comical Revenge, ii. 3, [in Works (1704) 28]. Leave her, she's only worth the care Of some spruce jack-a-dandy.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. s.v. Jack-a-dandy, a little impertinent insignificant Fellow.
1795. R. Cumberland, The Jew, i. 'And when my monies is all gone, what shall I be then? An ass, a fool, a jack-a-dandy!'
1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf., s.v. Jack-o'-dandy . . . of Dandy manners, foolish, proud, and choleric as a turkey or dindon.
1839. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard, [ed. 1840], p. 141. 'Because they're in the next room, and the door's shut; that's vy, my jack-a-dandy!' replied Abraham, unsuspiciously.
1881. J. B. Harwood, in Cassell's Mag., Feb. 164. 'I take it very unkind o' you, Sir, to have gone tempting and luring my hands away to your own three mills, and be hanged to you for a jack-a-dandy, there!'
2. (rhyming). Brandy.
Jack-a-green. See Jack-in-the-green
under Jack.
Jack-a-lent, subs. (old).—1. A
dapperling; a dwarf; and (2) a
simpleton: also Jack-o'-lent.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, iii. 3. You little jack-a-lent, have you been true to us?
1596. Nashe, Have with You etc. in Works [Grosart, 1882-3, iii. 78]. For his stature he is such another pretie jack-a-lent.
1602. Cooke, How to Choose a Good Wife [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ix. 41]. That jack-a-lent, that ghost, that shadow, that moon in the wane.
Jackanapes, subs. (old colloquial).—An
absurd fop; a whipper-snapper:
a general term of reproach.
Jackanapes-coat = a
dandy-coat (Pepys). [Originally,
no doubt, a gaudy-suited and performing
ape (the word is still good
Scots for a monkey; cf. Scott,
Redgauntlet); and, hence, by implication
anybody at once ugly
(or diminutive), showy, and impudent.
Also a Jack-of-apes
