noun
Very common
jack
JAK
Jack (noun) means a mechanical device used to lift something heavy off the ground, especially to raise a car to change a tyre. Example: “Without a jack, we could not raise the van high enough to fix the wheel.”
noun
1
A mechanical device used to lift something heavy off the ground, especially to raise a car to change a tyre.
"Without a jack, we could not raise the van high enough to fix the wheel."
"He grabbed the jack from the trunk to change the flat tire."
"Make sure the jack is on level ground before you lift the car."
2
The playing card ranking between the ten and the queen, showing a young page or knave.
"He played the jack, hoping nobody held a queen or king."
"In this card game, a jack is worth less than a queen."
"She needed just one more jack to complete her hand."
3
A socket used to plug in an electrical or audio device.
"My old speakers have a jack that only fits a thin audio cable."
"The guitarist plugged the lead into the jack on the amplifier."
"Plug the headphones into the jack on the side of the laptop."
4
Informal: money.
"She saved up a bit of jack over the summer."
"They are always short of jack at the end of the month."
"He didn't have enough jack to cover the bill."
verb
1
To lift something using a mechanical jack.
"You should jack the caravan up a little before sliding the blocks underneath."
"He jacked the lorry's rear end carefully and slid a stand under it."
"They jacked up the car before removing the wheel."
2
Informal: to raise sharply, especially a price.
"Shops tend to jack prices up when the tourists arrive in summer."
"The landlord jacked the rent up again, and now we cannot afford it."
"The airline jacked up ticket prices over the holidays."
3
Slang: to steal something, especially a vehicle, often by force.
"Someone jacked his motorbike while he was inside the shop."
"Gangs have been jacking cars at traffic lights in that area."
"The thieves jacked the car right off the driveway."
How to use jack
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHas a huge range of meanings, but the everyday ones are: the tool for lifting a car, the playing card, a plug socket, or (slang) money.
Common mistake
"Jack up" can mean either "physically lift with a jack" or "raise a price sharply" — context decides which.
Common pairings
car jack
jack up the price
jack of all trades
headphone jack
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Word forms
- Plural
- jacks
- Third person singular
- jacks
- Past tense
- jacked
- Comparative
- more jack
- Superlative
- most jack
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Without a _____, we could not raise the van high enough to fix the wheel.
Etymology
From the medieval given name "Jacques" (via Anglo-Norman), which became a generic English word for "a man" or "a fellow" and later attached itself to countless tools, devices, and objects.
Related words
Rhymes for jack
See all rhymes for jack →Frequently asked questions
What does “jack” mean?
The word “jack” means a mechanical device used to lift something heavy off the ground, especially to raise a car to change a tyre. In plain terms, has a huge range of meanings, but the everyday ones are: the tool for lifting a car, the playing card, a plug socket, or (slang) money.
How do you pronounce “jack”?
“Jack” is pronounced JAK (/ˈd͡ʒæk/ in IPA).
How do you use “jack” in a sentence?
Here is “jack” used in a sentence: “He grabbed the jack from the trunk to change the flat tire.”
What part of speech is “jack”?
Depending on how it is used, “jack” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “jack” come from?
The word “jack” comes from Anglo-Norman. From the medieval given name "Jacques" (via Anglo-Norman), which became a generic English word for "a man" or "a fellow" and later attached itself to countless tools, devices, and objects.
Is “jack” a common word?
“Jack” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “jack” have?
“Jack” has 7 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a mechanical device used to lift something heavy off the ground, especially to raise a car to change a tyre.
How does a car jack work?
A car jack lifts a vehicle by converting a small effort into a large lifting force. A scissor jack uses a turning screw that draws its sides together, raising the top. A hydraulic or bottle jack uses fluid pressure from a pump to push a piston up. Both let one person raise a heavy car safely.
What are the types of jacks?
Common types include the scissor jack, supplied with many cars; the hydraulic bottle jack, tall and powerful; the trolley or floor jack used in garages; and the high-lift or farm jack for rough terrain. All are mechanical devices designed to raise heavy loads, differing mainly in mechanism, height, and lifting capacity.
What is the difference between a jack and an axle stand?
A jack raises a vehicle off the ground, but it is not meant to hold it there for long. An axle stand, or jack stand, is a fixed support placed under a raised car to hold it safely while you work. You lift with the jack, then rest the weight on stands.
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