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

John Henry Smythe was one of 60 West Africans to serve in the RAF, now his story is about to be shared at Thame Museum.

From BBC

He was raised by his grandparents Maggie and John Henry Connolly; his father left home before he was born.

From Los Angeles Times

He asks if it can change into a pair of underwear—someone could need clean undies as much as John Henry needed a hammer.

From Literature

Four members of the U.S. investor group will also join the board, including John Henry, the chief executive of Fenway and Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot.

From New York Times

Reginald Wells was born on Dec. 2, 1947, in Baltimore, one of seven children to John Henry Wells, a bus driver, and Ada Wells, a nurse.

From New York Times

Related Words

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