Webster's English Dictionary

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jack

1. jack \'jak\ n [ME jacke, fr. Jacke, nickname for Johan John] [by 
   shortening] [by shortening] [by shortening] often attrib  cap  1a: MAN; esp 
   : one who is representative of the common people  often cap  1b: SAILOR  
   1c1: LABORER, SERVANT  1c2: LUMBERJACK  2: any of various mechanical 
   devices : as  2a: a device for turning a spit  2b: any of various portable 
   mechanisms for exerting pressure or lifting a h eavy body a short distance 
   3: something that supports or holds in position : as  3a: a bar of iron at 
   a topgallant masthead to support a royal mast and spre ad the royal shrouds 
   3b: a wooden brace fastened behind a scenic unit in a stage set to prop it  
   up 4a: any of several fishes; esp : a young male salmon  4b: a male donkey  
   4c: any of several birds (as a jackdaw)  5a: something smaller than the 
   usual of its kind - used in combination (jackshaft} 5b: a small white 
   target ball in lawn bowling  5c: a small national flag flown by a ship  pl 
   but sing in constr  5d1: a game played with a set of small objects that are 
   tossed, caught, and  moved in various figures 5d2: a small 6-pointed metal 
   object used in the game of jacks  6a: a playing card carrying the figure of 
   a soldier or servant and ranking  usu. below the queen 6b: JACKPOT  slang  
   7: MONEY  8: a female fitting in an electric circuit used with a plug to 
   make a conne ction with another circuit 9a: APPLEJACK  9b: BRANDY  10: 
   JACKKNIFE 
2. jack vi : to hunt or fish at night with a jacklight  1: to hunt or fish 
   for at night with a jacklight  2a: to move or lift by or as if by a jack  
   2b1: INCREASE  2b2: to raise the level or quality of  2c: to take to task  
   - jack.er n