cheap jack

cheap jack

A cheap jack sells his wares from a cart in the market square.

Definition
  1. Noun (countable):
    • A peddler or vendor of low-priced goods: "cheap jack" refers to a person who sells inexpensive, often inferior or shoddy merchandise, typically in a street market or by traveling from place to place. This term is slightly dated and informal.
    • A seller of cheap, showy items: It can also imply someone who deals in goods that are gaudy or of poor quality, often using persuasive or aggressive sales tactics.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • A cheap jack set up his stall at the fair, selling plastic toys and imitation watches. (A vendor of low-quality items.)
    • The old man was known as a cheap jack, always hawking his wares from a cart. (A traveling peddler of inexpensive goods.)
Advanced Usage
  • "To act like a cheap jack": To behave in a way that is overly eager to sell or promote something of low value, often in a pushy manner.
    • He was acting like a cheap jack, trying to sell us his broken furniture. (He behaved like an aggressive, low-quality vendor.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Cheap-jack (adj): Of or relating to goods or services that are of poor quality or cheaply made.

    • The store sold cheap-jack electronics that broke within a week. (Inferior, low-quality electronics.)

  • Cheap (adj): Low in price; worth more than the cost.

    • The fruit was cheap but still fresh. (Inexpensive.)
Synonyms
  • Peddler: a person who sells goods, especially by traveling from place to place.
  • Hawker: a person who offers goods for sale by calling out in public.
  • Huckster: a person who sells small items, often aggressively or dishonestly.
Related Idioms

  • Cheap as chips: Very inexpensive.

    • These shoes were cheap as chips at the market. (Extremely low-priced.)

  • Cheap shot: An unfair or unsporting remark or action.

    • His comment about her weight was a cheap shot. (A mean, unfair criticism.)
Phrasal Verbs
  • Cheapen: To make something seem less valuable or of lower quality.
    • The company's poor service cheapened its reputation. (Reduced the perceived value or quality.)
Additional Notes
  • The term "cheap jack" is less common in modern English, often replaced by "peddler" or "street vendor." It carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting the goods are not only inexpensive but also unreliable or tacky.