IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishjack of all trades
Meaning: A person who knows a little about a lot of different subjects or activities, but not a lot about any one of them.
Example: “He fixes cars, cuts hair and bakes bread; a real jack of all trades.”
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: homem dos sete ofícios Literally: Man of the seven trades
Origin: "Jack" was a common name used for any ordinary working man. "Jack of all trades" is recorded from the early 17th century, and the fuller "master of none" was added in the 18th century, turning a compliment into a criticism.
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