jack-in-the-box
or jack-in-a-box
[ jak-in-th uh-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.
Nearby words
Origin of jack-in-the-box
First recorded in 1545–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples 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
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for jack-in-the-box
jack-in-the-box
1560s, originally a name for a sharp or cheat, "who deceived tradesmen by substituting empty boxes for others full of money" [Robert Nares, "A Glossary of Words, Phrases, Names, and Allusions," London, 1905]. As a type of toy, it is attested from 1702.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper