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• John Hancock
  John Hancock

  noun

  1737–93, American statesman: first signer of the Declaration of Independence.
• Hancock, John
  Hancock, John

  A political leader of the eighteenth century. He was president of the Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and was the first to sign it, which he did with a large, flamboyant signature.

John Hancock

American  

[jon han-kok] / ˈdʒɒn ˈhæn kɒk /

noun

1. 1737–93, American statesman: first signer of the Declaration of Independence.

2. Informal. a person's signature.

   Put your John Hancock on this check.

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John Hancock British  

noun

1. Also called: John Henry. informal a person's signature

   put your John Hancock on this form

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John Hancock ¹ Cultural  

1. A signature: “Please help us out and put your John Hancock on our petition.” The expression refers to the bold signature that John Hancock wrote on the Declaration of Independence.

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Hancock, John ² Cultural  

1. A political leader of the eighteenth century. He was president of the Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and was the first to sign it, which he did with a large, flamboyant signature.

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John Hancock Idioms  

1. Also, John Henry. One's signature, as in Just put your John Hancock on the dotted line. This expression alludes to John Hancock's prominent signature on the Declaration of Independence. The variant simply substitutes a common name for “Hancock.” [Mid-1800s]

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Discover More

A “John Hancock” is a signature.

Etymology

Origin of John Hancock

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50, so called from the boldness and legibility of John Hancock's signature

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

John Hancock Hancock, John

One strategist at Manulife John Hancock Investments said the situation has left investors navigating “uncharted territory,” as nobody has seen anything like this in recent memory.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

“I think it’s really about inflation, and Friday is going to be the big tell on that front,” said Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategist at Manulife John Hancock Investment Management.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Matt Miskin, co-chief investment strategist at Manulife John Hancock Investments, says that the second quarter amply highlights the old adage that “earnings are a matter of opinion, while cash flow is a matter of fact.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

Samuel Adams and John Hancock were both fire wardens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

He saw John Hancock standing in a group of men.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

He was on the all-star charity single “We Are the World” in 1985, and he also performed or recorded with Donna Summer, Herbie Hancock, John Mellencamp, Paul McCartney and many others.

From New York Times ● May 31, 2015

Ed Sheeran, Herbie Hancock, John Mayer, and Questlove The British singer-songwriter is set to perform twice during the telecast, once with ELO, and the other time with a collection of top-notch musicians.

From Forbes ● Feb. 8, 2015

He'll perform a duet with Jeff Lynne and ELO before taking to the stage for a jam session with Herbie Hancock, John Mayer and Questlove later in the show.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2015

Hancock, John, trouble with customs officials, 441-442; distributes arms, 460; president of Second Continental Congress, 463, 541.

From The Colonization of North America 1492-1783 by Herbert Eugene Bolton

In this, several academy boys took the parts of John Hancock, John Adams and John Dickinson, and the members of the First Congress.

From The Boy Scout Fire Fighters by Irving Crump

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