John Henry

noun

, plural John Henries

1. Informal. a person's signature.
2. U.S. Folklore. a legendary Black man of exceptional strength and stamina.

“John Henry”

¹

1. An American folksong ( see folk music ) about the “steel-driving man” John Henry . It contains these lines:

   John Henry said to his captain,

   “A man ain't nothin' but a man,

   And before I'd let your steam drill beat me down,

   I'd die with the hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord!

   I'd die with the hammer in my hand.”

Henry, John

²

1. A hero of American folktales and folk songs. The stories portray him as a black man, enormously strong, who worked on railroads or on steamboats and died from exhaustion after he outperformed a steam drill in a contest.

Word History and Origins

Origin of John Henry¹

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; from the proper name

Example Sentences

Chris Hughes at The New Republic, John Henry in Boston, Jeff Bezos in Washington.

From The Daily Beast

John Henry Menton took off his hat, bulged out the dinge and smoothed the nap with care on his coatsleeve.

From Project Gutenberg

The copy bearing date 1628, to which reference has been made, belonged to John Henry Shorthouse.

From Project Gutenberg

I let my John Henry take the long-tailed wagon an' go down to the depot this mornin' to fetch her an' her goods up.

From Project Gutenberg

"I hear him," said John Henry suddenly; and faint and far away there came the sound of a desperate bark.

From Project Gutenberg

Do you think old Rover "overheard them talking," as John Henry suggests?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• impression
• imprint
• line
• point
• record
• scar
• score
• signature
• spot
• stain
• stamp
• streak
• symbol