jack-in-the-box
or jack-in-a-box
[ jak-in-thuh-boks ]
/ ˈdʒæk ɪn ðəˌbɒks /
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noun, plural jack-in-the-box·es.
a toy consisting of a box from which an enclosed figure springs up when the lid is opened.
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Origin of jack-in-the-box
First recorded in 1545–55
Words nearby jack-in-the-box
Jackie, jackie tar, jack in, jacking engine, jack-in-office, jack-in-the-box, jack-in-the-green, jack-in-the-pulpit, Jack Ketch, jackknife, jackknife-fish
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for jack-in-the-box
British Dictionary definitions for jack-in-the-box
jack-in-the-box
noun plural jack-in-the-boxes or jacks-in-the-box
a toy consisting of a figure on a compressed spring in a box, which springs out when the lid is opened
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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