John Henry

noun

plural

John Henries 

1. Informal.,  a person's signature.

2. U.S. Folklore.,  a legendary Black man of exceptional strength and stamina.

Henry, John

¹

1. A hero of American folktales and folk songs. The stories portray him as a black man, enormously strong, who worked on railroads or on steamboats and died from exhaustion after he outperformed a steam drill in a contest.

“John Henry”

²

1. An American folksong (see folk music) about the “steel-driving man” John Henry. It contains these lines:

   John Henry said to his captain,

   “A man ain't nothin' but a man,

   And before I'd let your steam drill beat me down,

   I'd die with the hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord!

   I'd die with the hammer in my hand.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Henry, John¹

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; from the proper name

Example Sentences

He even launches into a triumphant monologue about the legend of John Henry: All night long, Morrow says, John Henry drove steel, fighting a machine that could dig deeper and faster.

From Salon

Earlier in the day the King had visited the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Birmingham, founded by the 19th century Catholic theologian and philosopher, Cardinal John Henry Newman.

From BBC

John Henry Newman was first made a cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII, a position he held for 11 years before his death.

From BBC

A statement from the the club's owners and leadership group, Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon, said they have been left "numb with grief" as they offered condolences to Jota's family.

From BBC

Magician John Henry Anderson died in 1874, the same year Harry Houdini was born - yet despite the two never meeting, Anderson was reputedly among the legendary escapologist's greatest inspirations.

From BBC

Related Words

• impression 
• imprint 
• line 
• point 
• record 
• scar 
• score 
• signature 
• spot 
• stain 
• stamp 
• streak 
• symbol