Where does “jackscrew” come from?

jackscrew (English) comes from English Jack, from Middle English jakke, from Anglo-Norman jacke, from Middle French jaque, from Middle French jacques, from French jacques, from Latin Iacobus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος — heel of the foot; heel.

jackscrew (English): A jack which is operated by turning a leadscrew

Definitions

  1. A jack which is operated by turning a leadscrew

Ancestry of “jackscrew”, step by step

jackscrew traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Jack

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishJackA placeholder or conventional name for any man,...
2Middle EnglishjakkeA padded coat, especially as light armour
3Anglo-Normanjacke
4Middle Frenchjaque
5Middle Frenchjacques
6Frenchjacquesplural of jacque; a stupid person; a jemmy or...
7LatinIacobusJacob; James; Saint James
8Ancient GreekἸάκωβος
9Ancient GreekἸακώβJacob
10HebrewיַעֲקֹבJacob
11Hebrewעָקֵבheel of the foot; heel

via English screw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscrewA device that has a helical function; The motion...
2Middle Englishscrew
3Old Frenchescrouenut, cylindrical socket, screwhole; scroll, strip...
4Latinscrofasow
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kerbʰ-to scratch, scrape
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Hebrew עָקֵב