Forms: 7 jaccal(l, jacal, jakhal, jackalle, chacall, (jagale, jacol, joecaul), 7–8 jack-call, 7–9 jackall, chacal, (8 shackal(l, siacalle, 9 shakal), 7– jackal. [Corruption of Turkish chakāl, ad Pers. shagāl or shaghāl, cognate w. Skt. s’rgāla, ç’rgāla jackal. Through Turkish also, F. chacal (formerly also in Eng.), whence Pg. chacal, It. sciacal, Ger. (Da., Sw.) schakal. The Du. jakhals was prob. from Eng.: cf. quot. 1694. The English word was formerly (as still in some dialects) stressed on the second syllable; the current form, and the obsolete Jack-call, show association with the proper name Jack, and names of animals containing it.]
1. An animal of the dog kind, about the size of a fox; one of various species of Canis, as C. aureus or C. anthus, inhabiting Asia and Africa, hunting in packs by night with wailing cries, and feeding on dead carcases and small animals; formerly supposed to go before the lion and hunt up his prey for him, hence termed ‘the lion’s provider.’
Described by Topsell, 1607, p. 439 as ‘the second kind of hyæna.’
1603. W. Biddulph, Lett., in Purchas, Pilgrims, VIII. ix. (1625), 1337. About Scanderone there are many ravenous beasts about the bignesse of a Foxe, commonly called there Jackalles.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., III. 205. Iaccalls … do lurke in the obscure vaults.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 247. A kind of beast little bigger then a Foxe … vulgarly called Jagale, used to … scratch the bodies of the dead out of their graves.
1659. D. Pell, Impr. Sea, 255. This creature [the Lyon] … will not seek his prey himself, but sends his Caterer, or Jack-call to run about to seek it him.
1667. Dryden, Ann. Mirab., lxxxii. Close by, their Fire-ships, like Jackals, appear, Who on their Lions for the prey attend.
1672. W. de Britaine, Dutch Usurp., 33. They must not be like the Joe-caul, which provides food for the Lyon.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, III. 264. An Habitation only for Wolves, Foxes, and Chacals, a Den of Dragons, Snakes, and Vipers.
1694. T. R., in Phil. Trans., XVIII. 276. Those Asiatick Foxes, vulgarly named by Travellers, Jakhals, or Jacals.
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, x. 39. A great many Siacalles, or Wild Dogs.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), I. III. xxvi. 112. The shackalls in the woods bark’d and howl’d.
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. vi. I. 266. He who has been bitten by a dog, a shakal, or an ass.
1831. Moir, in Blackw. Mag., XXIX. 914. From burial fields the midnight chacal cried.
1860. Gosse, Rom. Nat. Hist., 237. The shriek of the jackal bursting on the ear in the silence of night.
1885. Bible (R. V.), Job xxx. 29. I am a brother to jackals [1611 dragons], and a companion to ostriches.
2. fig. A person who acts like a jackal, esp. one who does subordinate preparatory work or drudgery for another, or ministers to his requirements.
a. 1688. G. Stradling, Serm. & Disc. (1692), 384. Those lesser ones … are but so many Jack-calls to fetch him in store of prey.
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 71, ¶ 7. A lion, or a master-spy, hath several jack-calls under him, who are his retailers in intelligence.
1739. Cibber, Apol. (1756), II. 146. (Dial. old plays) Alexander Goffe, the woman-actor at Blackfriers … used to be the jackall, and give notice of time and place.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xviii. 460. His [Richard’s] cruelty and ingratitude towards his jackal, Buckingham, who wrought hard to help him to his bad eminence.
3. attrib. and Comb., as jackal cry, skin; jackal-headed adj., -hunting; jackal buzzard, an African species of buzzard (Buteo jackal).
1680. Morden, Geog. Rect., Lesser Tartary (1685), 77. The Commodities … are Slaves … Chacal-Skins.
1823. Byron, Juan, IX. xxvi. Nor give my voice to slavery’s jackall cry.
1856. Stanley, Sinai & Pal., Introd. (1858), 43. Endless processions of jackal-headed gods.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 19 April, 4/3. His chapters … on jackal-hunting are excellent.
