subs. (old).—1. A nobody; and (2) a dwarf. For synonyms, see HOP-O’-MY-THUMB.
1596. NASHE, Have with You to Saffron-Walden, in Works [GROSART] iii. 158. These worthless whippets and IACKE-STRAWES.
1629. Flyting of Polwarth and Montgomerie (Edin. Montgomerie’s Poems, 1885–6, i. 64]. IACSTRO, be better anes ingined.
1672. WYCHERLEY, Love in a Wood, i. 2. You are a saucy JACK-STRAW to question me.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
JACK STRAW’S CASTLE, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see MONOSYLLABLE.
