Jack rib
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An inferior rib in an arch, being shorter than the rest.
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 rib” mean?
An inferior rib in an arch, being shorter than the rest.
Is “Jack rib” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.