Jack of both sides
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
One who tries to favour two antagonistic parties, either from fear or for profit.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Jack of both sides” mean?
One who tries to favour two antagonistic parties, either from fear or for profit.
Is “Jack of both sides” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.