jack

1 slang  something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment I'd buy that watch, but I don't have the jack right now Synonyms bread [slang], bucks, cabbage [slang], cash, change, chips, coin, currency, dough, gold, green, money [slang], kale [slang], legal tender, lolly [British], long green [slang], loot, lucre, moola (or moolah) [slang], needful, pelf, scratch [slang], shekels (also sheqels or shekelim or shekalim or sheqalim), tender, wampumRelated Words coinage, specie; dead presidents [slang], folding money, paper money, scrip; banknote, cashier's check, check, draft, money order, note, promissory note; bill, dollar, greenback; bankroll, capital, finances, funds, roll [slang], wad, wallet; chump change, dibs [slang], dime, mite, peanuts, pittance, shoestring; big bucks, bomb [British], boodle, bundle, earth, fortune, king's ransom, megabucks, mint, packet [chiefly British], pile, pot; abundance, means, opulence, riches, treasure, wealth; resources, wherewithal; mad money, petty cash, pin money, pocket money, spending money

2 a piece of cloth with a special design that is used as an emblem or for signaling a Portuguese ship flying the national jack Synonyms banderole (or banderol), banner, colors, ensign, guidon, flag, pendant (also pendent) [chiefly British], pennant, pennon, standard, streamerRelated Words bunting, gonfalon; black flag, Jolly Roger, tricolor, union jack, white flag; burgee, semaphore, signaler (or signaller), waft; badge, coat of arms, crest, insignia

3 an adult male human being hey, jack, can you spare some change? Synonyms bastard, bloke [chiefly British], buck, cat, chap [chiefly British], chappie [British], dude, fella, fellow, galoot [slang], gent, gentleman, guy, hombre, man, joe, joker, lad, maleRelated Words master, mister, sir; buddy, buster

4 one who operates or navigates a seagoing vessel the streets of the old seaport were once full of jacks, harlots, and other dockside denizens Synonyms gob, hearty, sailor, jack-tar, mariner, navigator, salt, sea dog, seafarer, seaman, shipman, swab, swabbie (also swabby) [slang], tarRelated Words coxswain, crewman, deckhand, shipmate; able-bodied seaman, able seaman, lubber; powerboater, sailboater; lime-juicer [slang], limey [slang]

5 the total of the bets at stake at one time tension was mounting as the jack was getting bigger by the minute Synonyms pot, jackpot, poolRelated Words fund, kitty; bet, stake, wager

6 a person whose job is to cut down trees we'll need to hire more jacks to get this forest cleared before winter Synonyms lumberjack, logger, lumbermanRelated Words lumberer; sawyer; forester