1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v. Jack-nasty-face—a dirty fellow.
Jack-pudding, subs. (old).—A serving merry-andrew; a low-class buffoon.
Fr. jean-pottage (= jack-soup); Germ. Hans-wurst (= jack-sausage);
Dutch, pickel-herringe; It. macaroni. Hence jack-puddinghood (Walpole)
= buffoonery.
1650–51. Milton, Defence of People of England, i. The extempore
rhymes of some antic jack-pudding may deserve printing better.
1653. Aston Cockaine. ‘On Mr. Richard Brome’s Playes.’ Our theatres
of lower note in those More happy daies Shall scorn the rustic
prose Of a jack-pudding.
1664. Etherege, Comical Revenge, iii. 4, in Wks. (1704), 35. He was
jack-pudding to a Mountebank, and turned off for want of wit.
1670. J. Eachard, Contempt of the Clergy, in Arber’s Garner, vii,
p. 265. Those usually that have been Rope Dancers in the Schools,
oft times prove jack-pudding in the Pulpit.
1672. W. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, i. 2. He is a mere buffoon, a
Jack-pudding.
1691–2. Gentlemen’s Journal, Jan., p. 35. All its inhabitants are
jack-puddings born.
1757. Foote, The Author [1782], 46. A Jack-pudding! that takes
fillips on the nose for sixpence a piece.
1772. G. A. Stevens, Songs Comic and Satyricall, p. 50. So
Jack-puddings joke, with distorted grimace, Benetting their
gudgeons, the croud.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1795. R. Cumberland, The Jew, iv. 2. Sheva. You are a saucy knave
to make a joke of your master. Do you think I will keep a
jack-pudding in my house like you, to listen at my keyhole and
betray my conversation.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well, iii. The jack-pudding to the
company, whose business it was to crack the best joke, and sing the
best song, he could.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. of England, vi. Booth had bitterly complained
to the Commons that the dearest of his constituents were entrusted
to a drunken jack-pudding.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chap. of Fleet, pt. 1. They were again jocund,
light-hearted, the oracle of the tavern, the jester and jack
pudding of the Feast.
Jack Randall, subs. phr. (rhyming).—A candle. [The name of a famous
pugilist].
Jack Robinson, subs. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms see Creamstick
and Prick.
Before one can say ‘Jack Robinson’, phr. (common).—Instantly; in the
shortest possible time; in two-two’s (q.v.).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Jack Robinson ... a saying to
express a very short time, originating from a very volatile
gentleman of that appellation, who would call on his neighbours,
and be gone before his name could be announced.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1836. M. Scott, Cruise of the Midge [ed. 18.] p. 295. Before you
could say Jack Robinson, the pursuer’s starboard leg was whipped
out of Jack Lennox’s clutches.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends [ed. 1842] p. 256. I have not a
doubt, I shall rout every tout, Ere you’ll whisper Jack Robinson.
1846. Punch, xi. 9. Here it was he married my mother whose name was
Robinson, whose ancestor was the famous Jack Robinson of whom is
still retained a popular proverb relating to rapidity of
expression.
Jackrum, subs. (old).—A marriage license.—Modern Flash Dict. (1825).
Jack-Sauce, subs. (old).—An impudent fellow; a sauce-box (q.v.).
1571. Edwards, Damon and Pitheas (Dodsley, O. Pl., i. 271). Heere
is a gay world! boyes now set old men to scoole: I sayd wel inough;
what, jack-sawce, think’st cham a fool?
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super. in Wks. (Grosart) ii. 328. A
jack-sauce, or vnmannerly puppy.
1597–8. Haughton, A Woman will have her Will [Dodsley, Old Plays
(1874), x. 537]. Well, Jack-sauce, The rogue is waking yet to spoil
your sport.
1599. Shakespeare, Henry V, iv. 7. If he be perjured, see you now,
his reputation is as arrant a villain, and a jack sauce, as ever
... trod upon God’s ground and his earth, in my conscience la.
1602. Cooke, How a Man may Choose a Good Wife etc. [Dodsley, Old
Plays (1874), ix. 78]. Why, you Jack-sauce! You cuckold! you
what-not!
1612. Field, Woman is a Weathercock, ii. 1. What say ye, Jack
Sauce.
1620. Hall, Honour of the Maried Clergie, ii § 12. Every jack-sauce
of Rome shall thus odiously dare to controll and disgrace it.
1633. Jonson, Tale of a Tub, iii. 1. Dame 7. Come up, jack sauce.
1638. Randolph, Muses’ Looking Glass, iv. 4. Such a jack-sauce.
1659. Massinger, City Madam, iv. 2. Do you so, jack sauce! I’ll
keep them further off.
1702. Vanbrugh, False Friend, iii. 2. Why how now, jack-sauce? why
how now, Presumption?
1719. Durfey, Pills &c. v. 287. A sword and buckler good and
strong, To give Jack-sauce a rap.
Jack’s Delight, subs. phr. (common).—A sea-port strumpet. For synonyms
see Barrack-hack and Tart.
Jack-Shay, subs. (Australian).—A tin quart used for boiling tea, and
contrived to hold a tin pint.
1881. Grant, Bush Life [quoted in Slang, Jargon & Cant]. Hobbles
and jack-shays hang from the Saddle-dees.
Jack-Sprat, subs. (old).—An undersized man or boy.—Grose (1785).
1570. Wit and Science [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ii. 39]. But
what, no force, ye are but Jack Sprat to me.
Jack-Straw, subs. (old).—1. A nobody; and (2) a dwarf. For synonyms see
Hop-o’-my-thumb.
1596. Nashe, Have With You etc. in Works [Grosart] iii. 158. These
worthless whippets and Iacke-Strawes.
1629. Flyting of Polwarth and Montgomerie (Edin. Montgomerie’s
Poems, 1885–6, i. 64). Iacstro, be better anes ingined.
1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, i. 2. You are a saucy Jack-straw
to question me.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1725. New. Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Jack Straw’s castle, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For
synonyms see Monosyllable.
Jacksy-pardy, subs. (common).—The posteriors: also jacksy pardo. For
synonyms see Monocular eyeglass.
Jack Tar, subs. phr. (old).—1. A sailor; and (2) a hornpipe.
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, i. 53. Our house in this place
was chiefly supported by jack tars.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1822. Lamb, Elia (Some old Actors). Displays before our eyes a
downright concretion of a Wapping sailor—a jolly warm-hearted jack
tar.
Jack Weight, subs. phr. (old).—A fat man; a forty-guts (q.v.).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Jack-Whore, subs. phr. (old).—A large, masculine, overgrown
wench.—Grose (1785).
Jacob, subs. (old).—1. See quot.
1753. The Thief-Catcher, p. 25. There are another sort of Rogues
called jacobs; these go with ladders in the Dead of the Night, and
get in at the windows, one, two or three pair, of stairs and
sometimes down the area.