What is the origin of the term "balling the Jack"?

Answer by  just1 (131)

The origin is believed to come from men working on the railroad, they used it to express "going somewhere fast". The expression is known for several meanings. Having fun, dancing, going quickly to a place of adventure and taking a risk. The phrase is rarely used in todays culture.

Answer by  YK (304)

Apparently, it was the name of a popular dance, in the 1910s, so at that time it just meant dancing, or having a good time. It later came to mean risking everything on one attempt.

Answer by  Clement (1453)

This phrase comes of the railroad jargon, its original meaning was "to go at high speed". Jack, abbreviated from "jackass carrying the load", was a common name for a locomotive. Balling presumably referred to the hand gestures of the trainmen. Later on this phrase was transferred to dancing and having good time in general.

Answer by  patti (29325)

"Ballin' the Jack" was the name of a song that was introduced in 1913. The lyrics (can be found online) are the instructions for a dance of the same name. During this time, railroad workers used the expression to refer to a train that was going at full speed. It was never meant as anything sexual or untoward.