Now arch. Forms: 4–6 iakke, iak, 4–7 iacke, 5–6 iake, 6 iakk, 6– jack. [a. F. jaque, in OF. also jaques (1375 in Hatz.-Darm.), in It. giacco, Ger. jacke, Du. jak, Sw. jacka jacket. Ultimate origin uncertain, but app. French: thought by some to be identical with the proper name Jacques, perh. as originally worn by the peasantry.
In sense 1 possibly ultimately of the same origin as JACK sb.1, but not derived from that word in English, being of common European currency. Sense 2, and still more 3, are doubtfully placed here; both may belong to JACK sb.1]
† 1. a. A short and close-fitting upper garment of men and women; a jacket. Obs.
1375. Will of Thos. de Hemenhale, in Promp. Parv., 256. Unum iakke de rubio worstede.
c. 1375. in Rel. Ant., I. 41. Wommen:… with her hornes … rydelid gownes, and rokettis, colers, lacis, jackes, pattokis, with her longe crakowis.
b. esp. A coat of fence, a kind of sleeveless tunic or jacket, formerly worn by foot-soldiers and others, usually of leather quilted, and in later times often plated with iron; sometimes applied to a coat of mail. (See Meyrick in Archaeologia, XIX. 224.) arch.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 3689. Þorȝ-out ys scheld & is habreioun, Plates, & iakke & ioupoun, þorȝ-out al it ȝot.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. clxxxvii. 573. The kynge had on a iacke couered with blacke veluet, whiche sore chafed hym.
1549. Compl. Scot., xix. 163. Quhar for i exort ȝou that ȝe change ȝour sperutual habitis … in steil iakkis and in cotis of mailȝe, to deffend ȝour bodeis.
1562. Lanc. Wills (Chetham Soc.), I. 178. On jacke with a brest of plate … iijs. iiijd.
1573. Twyne, Æneid., X. (1584), P vj. Through his golden plated Iacke he thrust into the side.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, I. 8. Like … the yron plates of a iacke, one lying on an other.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 639/1. The leather quilted jacke in iourneying and in camping, for that it is fittest to be under his shirte of mayle.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 94. They had brought with them good Iackes of Male.
1694. Lond. Gaz., No. 3035/3. Persons … arm’d with Blunderbuss’s, Pistols,… Jackcaps, Leather Doublets and Jacks.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xx. Some had the black-jack, or doublet, covered with small plates of iron of a lozenge shape.
1894. C. N. Robinson, Brit. Fleet, 91. The coats of livery, or ‘jacks’ as they were called, which the soldiers wore at Creçy.
† c. Phr. To be on (a person’s) jack: to lay blows on him, to attack him; to be on his back, be down upon him. Obs.
1568. Jacob & Esau, V. vi. If I wrought one stroke to day, lay me on the iacke.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, Themistocles, 127. That they … should sticke to it like men, and lay it on the iacks of them.
1588. Disc. Pres. Est. France, 18. So soone … might the king of Nauar be sure that he would be vpon his iacke.
1600. Holland, Livy, VII. xxx. 269. They shall not … stirre and put out their heads, but we will be streight upon their iacks [ab tergo].
1631. J. Denison, Heav. Banquet, 241. All the Mariners are vpon the iacke of Ionas.
2. A vessel for liquor (either for holding liquor, or for drinking from); orig. and usually of waxed leather coated outside with tar or pitch (= BLACK JACK 1); a (leathern) jug or tankard. arch.
‘A Iacke of leather to drinke in, because it somewhat resembles a iacke or coat of maile’ (Minsheu, Ductor, 1617).
1573. Tusser, Husb., lxxxv. (1878), 175. Treene dishes be homely, and yet not to lack, where stone is no laster take tankard and iack.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Hanap ou tasse à boire, a tankard, a iacke.
1598. Mucedorus, in Hazl., Dodsley, VII. 218. To the buttery-hatch, to Thomas the butler for a jack of beer.
1633. New Hampsh. Prov. Papers (1867), I. 80. 1 jack of leather to drink in.
1680. Lond. Gaz., No. 1537/4. Two Drinking Jacks of Leather, edged round with Silver.
17[?]. Song, ‘’Twas merry in the Hall.’ And they each took a smack At the coal-black-Jack Till the fire burnt in their brain.
1826. Scott, Woodst., ix. A large black leathern jack, which contained two double flagons of strong ale.
1885. Standard, 25 Dec., 3/2. Water that I had in a tin jack.
† 3. Name for some joint of mutton. Obs.
1466. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 435. [Laid out] in a brest and a jakke of motone, v. d.
4. Comb., as jack-maker; jack-cap, a leathern cap to protect the head; jack-coat, a jacket or jack.
1575. Estimate, in St. Pap. Dom. Eliz., CVI. No. 65. Cuttinge the cloth redie to be wrought by the Jackmakers.
1682. Providence Rec. (1894), VI. 96. Also a sarge jack coat, and a sarge paire of breeches.
1694. Lond. Gaz., No. 3014/4. Armed with Blunderbuss’s, Pistols,… Quarterstaves, Jackcaps, with Dogs, Toyles, and Nets. Ibid. (1713), No. 5086/3. A Jackcoat and old Leather Breeches.
1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit., II. 158. [Firemen] to whom they give Jack Caps of Leather, able to keep them from Hurt, if Brick or Timber, or any Thing not of too great a Bulk, should fall upon them.
