Etymology

Jacky Howe

Today it means: A type of blue sleeveless shirt worn by sheep shearers and labourers. Full definition →

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The story

After the gun shearer John Robert (“Jacky” or “Jackie”) Howe, who in 1890 set a long-standing world record by shearing 321 sheep in 7 hours 40 minutes. He is said to have worn a shirt with the sleeves cut off.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.