John in the Wad
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Another name for the will-o'-the-wisp. See IGNIS FATUUS. To wait for John Long, the carrier. To wait a long time; to wait for John, who keeps us a long tune.
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 “John in the Wad” mean?
Another name for the will-o'-the-wisp. See IGNIS FATUUS. To wait for John Long, the carrier. To wait a long time; to wait for John, who keeps us a long tune.
Is “John in the Wad” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.