jacklight

English

Etymology

• jack +‎ light. Probably from jack (“a male servant of any rank”), later associated with a boy servant or any boy, and later still with a knave: a rogue, thief, or deceitful man.
• Possibly also related to Spanish jaque (“a bully”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aɪt

Noun

jacklight (plural jacklights)

1. (Canada, US) A spotlight or lamp mounted on a car, boat or pole, etc. to aid in hunting.
   • 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Library of America, published 1985, page 19:

     It was a long, low roadster, with a jacklight.

Verb

jacklight (third-person singular simple present jacklights, present participle jacklighting, simple past and past participle jacklighted or jacklit)

1. (hunting, US, Canada) To shine a jacklight or spotlight on an animal, usually a deer, to aid in hunting at night.

   Synonyms: (Britain, Ireland) lamp, spotlight

Related terms

• jack-hunting