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jack

jack

1 8.8
A small white ball that players use as a target in bocce
  • noun
  • /dʒæk/
  • UK
translation icon : bolín
  • During the lawn bowling match, the jack rolled slightly after the player let go of the ball.

Examples

  • He scored a point by landing his bowl nearest to the jack.

  • In bocce, the jack is thrown first to set the target for the round.

  • The players aimed their balls as close as possible to the jack.

  • The players aimed for the jack during the game.

  • Can you see the jack over there?

  • In lawn bowling, players aim their balls at the jack placed at the end of the green.

  • The objective of the game is to land your ball closest to the jack in the scoring area.

Idioms

every man Jack
  • Informal
1 9.0

Every person, without exception

1 4.3

A person who can do many different jobs but is not an expert

Compounds

A carved hollow pumpkin with a light inside used as a Halloween decoration

4 2.8

The national flag of the United Kingdom showing the crosses of England, Scotland, and Ireland

Jack Frost
  • Literature
3 6.3

An imaginary figure who brings cold and makes frost on windows

3 4.6

A person who can do many different jobs fairly well but is not an expert

A person who killed several women in London in the late 1800s and was never identified

2 4.3

A toy figure with moving arms and legs that moves up and down when you pull its strings

1 3.4

A socket on a wall where you plug a telephone to connect it

A toy box with a clown or figure that pops out when opened

1 6.7

A medium pine tree with two yellow-green needles on each branch and rough scaly bark

cheap-jack
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who sells poor-quality goods in a loud, showy way

jack plane
  • Specialized
1 7.6

A hand tool with a long flat bottom for smoothing and shaping wood before finishing

A woodland plant with a hooded green or purple flower and red berries

9.9

A small salmon that lives along the northern Pacific coasts and in the Great Lakes

6.8

A tool that lifts a car by its bumper to change a tire

8.3

A surprising thing that seems to come by luck, not skill, like a small toy in a snack box

crevalle jack
  • Specialized
9.9

A large silver fish that lives near the coast in warm seas and fights hard when caught

man jack
  • Archaic
9.9

Every single person in a group with none left out

high-low-jack
  • Jargon
9.9

Card game where players score points by taking the highest card, the lowest card, the jack, or most cards

jack bean
  • Specialized
8.4

A bushy tropical plant grown for animal feed and to improve soil

jack crevalle
  • Specialized
8.5

A large strong fish people catch for sport in the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

jack ladder
  • Specialized
9.4

A rope or chain with steps used to climb between a ship and small boats

5.6

A small fish from the Pacific coast that people eat

8.1

A North American oak tree with broad leaves that have deep notches and dark bark

9.5

Small young salmon, often male Pacific salmon that return early to rivers

A wild plant with leaves that smell like garlic and can be eaten

A large pocket knife with a blade that folds and locks

jack-o-lantern
  • Specialized
9.9

A large poisonous mushroom with an orange cap that glows at night

A large poisonous mushroom with orange caps that grows in tight groups and gills that glow in the dark

A poisonous mushroom with bright orange caps that grows in woods and fields

jack-o'-lantern
  • Archaic
8.5

A pale light seen at night over wet ground in old stories

Jack-tar
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who works on a ship, often in the British navy

screw jack
  • Specialized
5.6

A tool that lifts heavy things by turning a screw, often used to raise a car

A small wall socket where you plug a phone to connect to the phone line

A simple card game for two players where one player tries to win all the other player's cards

9.9

A bold jay from northern North America with a black cap that steals food

yellow jack
  • Archaic
9.9

A yellow flag flown on a ship to show disease on board

9.8

A yellowish fish found in the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

yellow jack
  • Archaic
8.8

A serious disease spread by mosquitoes that causes fever and yellow skin

Surface Forms

jack singular
jacks plural

Etymology

Jack in bowls is the small white target ball and gets its name from the old use of jack for a little object in games, so the jack is the ball everyone aims for.