jumping jack

noun

1. a toy consisting of a jointed figure that is made to jump, move, or dance by pulling a string or stick attached to it.
2. Also called side-straddle hop [sahyd, -, strad, -l]. a conditioning exercise performed by starting from a standing position with legs together and arms resting at the sides and then jumping to a position with the legs spread apart and out to the sides while simultaneously extending the arms out from the sides to an overhead position with the hands touching and finishing by reversing these movements to return to the starting position.

jumping jack

noun

1. a firework having a long narrow tube filled with gunpowder, folded like an accordion so that when lit it burns with small explosions causing it to jump along the ground
2. a toy figure of a man with jointed limbs that can be moved by pulling attached strings

Word History and Origins

Origin of jumping jack¹

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65