1. A game in which jackstones are thrown and picked up in various groups between bounces of a small rubber ball
   "Knucklebones is an ancient game that has evolved into modern jacks";
   - jackstones, knucklebones
    
2. [Ireland, informal] A room or building equipped with one or more toilets
   "He excused himself to use the jacks";
   - toilet, lavatory, lav [informal], can [N. Amer, informal], john [informal], bathroom, water closet [Brit, archaic], closet [archaic], W.C. [Brit], loo [Brit, informal], bog [Brit, informal]

1. One of four face cards in a deck bearing a picture of a young prince
   "He drew the jack of hearts from the deck";
   - knave
    
2. Tool for exerting pressure or lifting
   "He used a jack to lift the car and change the flat tire"
    
3. An electrical device consisting of a connector socket designed for the insertion of a plug
   "He plugged the headphones into the audio jack"
    
4. Game equipment consisting of one of several small six-pointed metal pieces that are picked up while bouncing a ball in the game of jacks
   "She skilfully scooped up the jacks before catching the ball";
   - jackstones
    
5. A small ball at which players aim in lawn bowling
   "The bowler's ball came to rest just inches from the jack"
    
6. Small flag indicating a ship's nationality
   "The jack flew proudly at the stern of the vessel"
    
7. Any of several fast-swimming predacious fishes of tropical to warm temperate seas
   "A school of jacks circled beneath the boat"
    
8. Male donkey
   "The jack's loud bray echoed across the farm";
   - jackass
    
9. Someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labour
   "The jacks worked tirelessly to complete the construction project";
   - laborer [US], manual laborer [US], labourer [Brit, Cdn], manual labourer [Brit, Cdn]
    
10. [N. Amer, informal] Anything at all
    "you don't know jack";
    - doodly-squat [informal], diddly-squat [informal], diddlysquat [informal], diddly [N. Amer, informal], diddley [N. Amer, informal], squat [N. Amer, informal]
     
11. [informal] Immense East Indian fruit resembling breadfruit; it contains an edible pulp and nutritious seeds that are commonly roasted
    "jack fruit is popular in many Southeast Asian cuisines";
    - jackfruit, jak

1. Raise or lift with a jack or similar device
   "jack up the car so you can change the tire";
   - jack up
    
2. Hunt with a jacklight
   "Poachers jacked deer at night";
   - jacklight [N. Amer]

Derived forms: jackses

Type of: ass, ball, bring up, carangid, carangid fish, child's game, court card, edible fruit, electrical device, elevate, face card, flag, game equipment, get up, hunt, hunt down, lift, picture card, raise, room, run, small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity, tool, track down, working person

Part of: Artocarpus heterophyllus, bowls, Carangidae, family Carangidae, jackfruit, jackfruit tree, lawn bowling

Encyclopedia: Jacks, Twos, and Eights