Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🖊️ American patriot 🦸 Movie superhero
Hancock

Hancock

55 7.0
An American leader who was president of the Continental Congress and first signed the Declaration
  • proper noun
  • /ˈhæŋkɒk/
translation icon : John Hancock
  • In history class, we learned about John Hancock and his role in the fight for American independence.
  • John Hancock
  • John Hancock's signature
  • Adams and Hancock

Examples

  • Then there's the wealthy merchant John Hancock of Massachusetts, and in June they are joined by the young lawyer Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

  • When signing the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock made sure that his signature was bold and visible.

  • I need your John Hancock on these papers.

    Hardbodies (1984)

  • All I need is a John Hancock.

    The Upside (2019)

  • That is his John Hancock.

    Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

  • So if I can just... get your John Hancock... we'll get underway.

    Requiem for a Dream (2000)

  • When Washington reached Boston, Hancock invited him to stay in the governor's mansion.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Businessmen such as John Hancock were frequently guided by profit and self-interest.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Everyone recognized John Hancock as one of the leading figures in the American Revolution.

Compounds

John Hancock
  • Informal
7 4.5

A person's signature written when asked to sign

Jane Hancock
  • Informal
1 7.8

A person's signature used as a joke

Surface Forms

Hancock main

Etymology

The name Hancock comes from an old English nickname: Han (a short form of John) plus -cock (a pet ending meaning 'young' or 'little'). So the patriot John Hancock kept that family name, and his very large signature made people call a person's signature a 'Hancock'.