jackleg adjective 3noun 3forms 1 adjective3 •(US) Amateur, untrained; incompetent.The next year I had a projecting kind of jack leg carpenter, from Hanover, living with me in the capacity of overseer […] — 1841 •(US) Ineptly built or operated; makeshift.The train is late […]. ¶ “Well, if I come to such a place as this I must expect a jackleg railroad […].” — 1889 •(US) Dishonest, unscrupulous.Villard’s great fortune should not be allowed to “dangle” in plain sight of “jack-leg lawyers,” while he, Parkins, awaited final results of the proceedings. — 1921 noun3 •(US) An amateur; an untrained or incompetent person.[…] I, gentlemen and ladies, are a rale Scientificky! I ain’t none of your jack-legs. — 1846 •(US) A shyster or con artist; a gambler who cheats; a generally dishonest or reprehensible person.“[…] we ain’t called on to believe every smooth-talking jackleg who wanders in here.” — 1985 •A type of drill operated by means of compressed air. formsjacklegs
