plural jacks
1
a
jacks plural in form but singular in construction
: a game played with a set of small objects that are tossed, caught, and moved in various figures
b
: a small 6-pointed metal object used in the game of jacks
2
a
: a playing card carrying the figure of a soldier or servant and ranking usually below the queen
3
: any of various usually mechanical devices: such as
a
: a usually portable mechanism or device for exerting pressure or lifting a heavy body a short distance
b
: a device for turning a spit
4
: a female fitting in an electric circuit used with a plug to make a connection with another circuit
5
a
or less commonly Jack chiefly British
: man
—usually used as an intensive
… every man jack in the team will want to impress their new manager.—
Malcolm Macdonald
Malcolm MacdonaldThose two sessions were both open to the public, which meant that any man Jack from the street could have walked in to watch …—Neil Ashton
Neil Ashton
b
or Jack
: sailor
(2)
6
: something that supports or holds in position: such as
a
: an iron bar at a topgallant masthead to support a royal (see royal entry 1 sense 4) mast and spread the royal shrouds (see shroud entry 1 sense 3a)
b
: a wooden brace fastened behind a scenic unit in a stage set to prop it up
7
a
: any of several fishes
especially
: any of various carangids (such as a jack crevalle)
b
: a male donkey
c
d
: any of several birds (such as a jackdaw)
8
a
: a small usually white target ball used in lawn bowling or bocce
b
: a small national flag flown by a ship
9
slang
: money
11
12
13
US slang
: anything at all
—used in negative constructions
In short, Dinger or Homer or whoever it was who wrote the Odyssey didn't know jack about travel.—Steve Rushin
Steve Rushin
jacked; jacking; jacks
1
: to move or lift (something) by or as if by a jack (see jack entry 1 sense 3a) : jack up
It meant that we had to jack the aircraft and check out the undercarriage system …—John Revell
John RevellOver 500 tons of pressure was used to jack the legs of the [Gateway] Arch apart for the last four-foot piece to be inserted at the top.—nps.gov
nps.gov2
3
a
informal
: steal
"She jacked my pencil" one boy screamed. "But only because he jacked my pen" the girl yelled back.—Jason Kane
Jason Kane
especially
: to steal (a car)
A man is accused of stealing from a Bradenton hardware store and then jacking a nearby car … —Giuseppe Sabella
Giuseppe Sabella
b
informal
: rob
jack a store
Droopy was always promising to rob old ladies, but so far had jacked only a pizza delivery man …—Gini Sikes
Gini Sikes4
informal
: to cause great excitement, enthusiasm, or energy in : jack up
Even Phil Mickelson, the Masters champion of a year ago and a three-time winner in 2005, can't jack the audience like Woods.—Gerry Dulac
Gerry Dulac5
: to hunt or fish for (an animal) at night with a jacklight or similar bright light
… if old-fashioned country stores were anything like ours is today, you could find just about any type of gossip you might want, from suspicions about who is jacking deer out of season to the darkest speculation about marital infidelities.—Cook's Illustrated
Cook's Illustrated6
informal
: to copy or appropriate (something, such as an idea or style) : hijack sense 2a
Apparently I'd struck a nerve in that sensitive place called the male ego. In his mind I'd accused him of hip-hop's equivalent of treason—jacking someone's style.—Dream Hampton
Dream Hampton7
informal
: to hit (a ball) forcefully
Five batters later Martinez jacked an upper-deck grand slam off Mark Langston …—Tom Verducci
Tom VerducciBig Mac turns it up another notch, jacking five homers in his last 11 at-bats to finish with an unreal 70.—ESPN
ESPN… Mickelson took an aggressive line off the tee and jacked a lob wedge over the green.—Alan Shipnuck
Alan Shipnuck8
a
informal
: to grab, shove, or handle (someone or something) forcefully : jack up
Behind the building he was greeted by several bruisers looking for blood. "One guy jacked my horn out of my arms and threw it down," he [Ornette Coleman] says.—David Grogan
David Grogan
b
informal
: to cause injury to (someone or something) : jack up
The next week, he jacked his knee in a practice incident …, and it set him back a bit.—racerxonline.com
racerxonline.com
c
informal
: to beat up or hurt (someone) : jack up
Cejudo dropped Cruz with that knee and was jacking him with punches with no real response from Cruz.—Dan Bernstein
Dan Bernstein
d
informal
: to treat or confront (someone) in a harassing, rough, or overly aggressive and typically unwarranted manner : jack up
"I honestly think the only reason I get jacked by the police is because I'm tall and black," said Maurice [St. Cyere], who is 5'9".—The Bay State Banner
The Bay State Banner9
vulgar
: masturbate, jack off
: to hunt or fish at night with a jacklight or similar bright light
"… jacking involves the use of a high-powered light and a firearm at night. … Whether you are successful in getting a deer or not, it is an illegal act."—Blaine Henshaw
Blaine Henshaw
jacker
noun
Examples of jack in a Sentence
Noun
I'd buy that watch, but I don't have the jack right now.
a Portuguese ship flying the national jack
Verb
jack up the car so we can change that tire
local restaurants jacked up their prices for the summer tourist season
Recent Examples on the Web
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Oct. 2025
Spooky season is officially upon us, and while jack-o’-lanterns and cobwebs bring the festive flair, there’s a more enchanting way to invite the Halloween spirit into your home.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
Vivian Song, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Initiate the parking brake to keep the car in place, then jack the car up with floor jacks and jack stands.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jack
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Because their faces are more or less visible in an Instagram Reel that showed Harry carving a jack-o’-lantern from start to finish for Halloween.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Oct. 2025
Spooky season is officially upon us, and while jack-o’-lanterns and cobwebs bring the festive flair, there’s a more enchanting way to invite the Halloween spirit into your home.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
Flag-jacking Americans sew the maple leaf flag on their bags and lie about their nationality.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Initiate the parking brake to keep the car in place, then jack the car up with floor jacks and jack stands.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jack
Cite this Entry
“Jack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jack. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jack
1 of 2 noun1
b
often capitalized
: sailor
2
a
: a device for turning a spit (as in roasting meat)
b
: any of various portable devices for applying pressure or lifting a heavy body (as an automobile or a building) a short distance
3
4
a
: a small national flag flown by a ship
b
: a small six-pointed metal object used in a game
c
plural
: a game played with jacks
5
: a playing card bearing the figure of a soldier or servant
6
slang
: money sense 1a
7
: a socket used with a plug to connect one electric circuit with another
jack
2 of 2 verb1
: to move or lift by or as if by a jack
2
: increase entry 1 sense 1, raise
jack up prices
jacker
noun
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