John Doe
- name used for an unknown person
eg. Why do the application forms use "John Doe" as the name of the person who is applying for something?
John Henry (John Hancock)
- signature
eg. Please sign your John Henry here and we will process your order right away.
Johnny-come-lately
- new-comer
eg. He`s a Johnny-come-lately and doesn`t really know what he is talking about.
Johnny-on-the-spot
- be at the right place when needed, right on time
eg. He`s always Johnny-on-the-spot. Just when we need him he arrives.
jack up
- raise prices
eg. The gas station jacked up their prices during the snow storm.
jack-of-all-trades
- a person who can do many things
eg. We gave him a job because we needed a jack-of-all-trades around the factory to look after the many repairs.
jam on the brakes
- quickly put the brakes on in a car to stop
eg. He jammed on the brakes and was able to avoid hitting the child.
jam-packed
- crowded, full
eg. The train that we took this morning was jam-packed with people.
jazz up
- brighten up, add more noise or movement or color
eg. They really jazzed up the community center for the party tonight.
jump all over someone
- criticize, scold, blame
eg. As soon as I began to talk about my plans for the summer he jumped all over me.
jump at
- take or accept quickly and gladly
eg. He jumped at the chance to go to Europe on company business.
jump bail
- run away and fail to come to trial and give up the money you have already paid to the court
eg. He jumped bail and decided to go and live in a foreign country.
jump down someone`s throat
- criticize or become angry with someone
eg. As soon as I reached the office he jumped down my throat over the missing file.
jump on someone
- scold, criticize, blame
eg. Everyone jumped on him at the meeting because they were angry about the new schedules.
jump on the bandwagon (also get or climb on the bandwagon)
- join a popular activity
eg. Everyone has jumped on the bandwagon to try and stop smoking in the workplace.
jump out of one`s skin
- be badly frightened
eg. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw him at the window.
jump the gun
- start before you should
eg. He jumped the gun and started selling the tickets before he should.
jump through a hoop
- do whatever one is told to do, obey any order
eg. He is always ready to jump through a hoop for his boss so he is not very popular with the other employees.
jump to conclusions
- make a quick conclusion without thinking
eg. Please don`t jump to conclusions over who broke the computer.
jump down one`s throat
- suddenly become very angry at someone
eg. His wife jumped down his throat when he came home late for the third day in a row.
jump out of one`s skin
- be badly frightened, be very surprised
eg. I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw my girlfriend at the movie theater with someone else.
jumping-off place
- the starting place of a long trip
eg. We gathered early in the morning at the jumping-off place for our trip to the mountains.
just about
- nearly, almost
eg. I waited just about one hour before the concert started.
just now
- this very moment, a minute ago
eg. The accident happened just now. The police haven`t even arrived yet.
just so
- with great care, very carefully
eg. She always makes sure that her hair is just so before she goes out.
just the same
- nevertheless
eg. I told her not to come early but just the same she came early anyway.
just what the doctor ordered
- exactly what is needed or wanted
eg. Having the extra day off from work was just what the doctor ordered and he was able to get his many errands finished.
Last Update: 2005/12/18