Meanings
nounJack the lad (plural Jack the lads)
plural Jack the lads
- UKslangAn irresponsible young man, seeking personal pleasure and gratification without any regard to responsibilities; a rogue.
You seem to think you’re a bit of a Jack the lad, don’t you?
Origin
Named after English thief, shoplifter, burglar, highwayman and gaol-breaker Jack Sheppard (1702–1724).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Hungarian Jani, nagyfiú
- Janiirresponsible young man
- nagyfiúirresponsible young man
- fasza gyerekirresponsible young man
- menő csávóirresponsible young man
Welsh tipyn o dderyn
- tipyn o dderynirresponsible young man
Cite this entry
APA
Jack the lad. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jack%20the%20lad
MLA
“Jack the lad.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jack%20the%20lad. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Jack the lad,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jack%20the%20lad.
Source: Jack the lad on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.