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joe
average Joe
An average, unexceptional, or ordinary person, especially a boy or man. So many movies try to cater to as many people as possible, watered down for the average Joe. I like to think I'm a bit more intelligent than your average Joe.
cup of joe
A cup of coffee. Though the true origin is unknown, "joe" as a synonym for coffee is theorized to either be a shortening of "jamoke" (a combination of Java and Mocha, two major suppliers of coffee beans), or as a reference to it being the drink of the ordinary man (i.e., the "average joe"). Primarily heard in US, South Africa. I can't even function in the morning until I've had my first cup of joe.
cuppa joe
A cup of coffee (where "cuppa" is a colloquial contraction of "cup of"). Though the true origin is unknown, "joe" as a synonym for coffee is theorized to either be a shortening of "jamoke" (a combination of Java and Mocha, two major suppliers of coffee beans), or as a reference to it being the drink of the ordinary man (i.e., the "average joe"). Primarily heard in US, South Africa. I can't even function in the morning until I've had my first cuppa joe.
Joe Average
The average, ordinary, or typical person. Primarily heard in US. The inner workings of congress might be familiar to a political science student like yourself, but to Joe Average, it is often a completely unknown process. We strive to ensure that our computers can handle the highest demands of an IT professional but still remain accessible to Joe Average.
joe job
1. Any uninteresting, unstimulating, or unrewarding job, task, or activity. Primarily heard in US. I thought that this internship would give me some insight into the world of investment banking, but mostly I've just been given joe jobs around the office.
2. Any menial or low-class job, especially one that is low-paying. Primarily heard in Canada. I took on all sorts of joe jobs to support myself while I was in university.
Joe Sixpack
An average guy, typically of the working class. My brother's just your typical guy, a real Joe Sixpack—you can find him watching a sporting event in a bar after work pretty much any night of the week.
holy Joe
1. a chaplain; a cleric; a clergyman. I went to see the holy Joe, and he was a lot of help. Old holy Joe wants to see all of us at services.
2. a very pious person. Martin looks stuffy, but he's no holy Joe. Don't let that holy Joe hear about what you've done.
Joe Bloggs
(British & Australian) an ordinary person There's no point asking your average Joe Bloggs what he thinks about opera.
Joe Blow
(American & Australian) an ordinary person Television today is geared to your average Joe Blow.
Joe Public
(British informal) the public The test of any new product is will Joe Public buy it?
John Doe
(American) a man or boy whose real name must be kept secret or is not known, especially in a court of law The patient was referred to in court documents as John Doe.
Joe Six-pack
A lower-middle-class male. For example, I don't think opera will appeal to Joe Six-pack; he'd prefer a rock concert. This disparaging term, first recorded in 1977, conjures up the image of a man in undershirt and construction helmet who will down all of a six-pack (six cans or bottles of beer sold in a package) in an evening.
John Doe
1. Also,
John Q. Public;
Joe Blow;
Joe Doakes;
Joe Zilch. An average undistinguished man; also, the average citizen. For example,
This television show is just right for a John Doe, or
It's up to John Q. Public to go to the polls and vote. Originally used from the 13th century on legal documents as an alias to protect a witness,
John Doe acquired the sense of "ordinary person" in the 1800s. The variants date from the 1900s. Also see
Joe six-pack.
2. Also, Jane Doe. An unknown individual, as in The police found a John Doe lying on the street last night, or The judge issued a warrant for the arrest of the perpetrators, Jane Doe no. 1 and Jane Doe no. 2 . [Second half of 1900s]
good Joe
n. a good fellow. Fred’s a little slow on the uptake, but he’s a good Joe.
holy Joe
1. n. a chaplain; a cleric; a clergyman. Old holy Joe wants to see all of us at services.
2. n. a very pious person. Don’t let that holy Joe hear about what you’ve done.
joe
1. n. coffee. Yeah, a cup of black joe would be great.
2. n. an ordinary man. What does the everyday joe make of all this nonsense?
Joe Blow
and Joe Doakes (ˈdʒo ˈblo and ˈdʒo ˈdoks) n. a typical or average male American citizen. What do you think Joe Blow really thinks about all this? Joe Doakes thinks the government ought to pay for all medical care.
Joe Doakes
verbJoe Citizen
(ˈdʒo ˈsɪtəsnæ) n. a general term for a male representative of the public. Joe Citizen hasn’t spoken yet! Watch the results of the election.
Joe College
n. a typical or average male college student. Joe College never had a computer or a laser-powered record player in the good old days.
Joe Schmo
(ˈdʒo ˈʃmo) n. a jerk. Let’s say Joe Schmo wants a new car. What does he do?
Joe Six-pack
n. the average guy who sits around drinking beer by the six-pack. Joe Six-pack likes that kind of television program.
John Doe
and Jane Doe (ˈdʒɑn ˈdo) n. a name used for a person whose real name is unknown. The tag on the corpse said Jane Doe, since no one had identified her. John Doe was the name at the bottom of the check.
quality Joe
n. an innocent or straight (male) person. (Underworld.) Lefty is not what I would call your average quality Joe.
Joe Blow
An ordinary person. That phrase meant just an average guy—any old Joe (“Joe Doakes” was a variation). It was the predecessor of “Joe Sixpack.” In fact, “Joe” was such a common first name (or nickname) that it became a slang word for coffee, which was also found everywhere.
Joe College
A typical male college student. The phrase came on the scene in the 1930s, usually applied approvingly, but occasionally as a label for a student whom the academic life sheltered from having to hold down a “real job” in the “real world.”
Say it ain't so, Joe
Your admitting your mistake would break my heart. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson was involved in the “Black Sox” baseball scandal in which eight Chicago White Sox players were accused of fixing the 1919 World Series. Legend has it that as Jackson was leaving the courthouse, a young fan tugged on his sleeve and, in a voice full of emotion, said, “Say it ain't so, Joe.” When Jackson confirmed the accusation, the lad realized that his idol had feet of clay.
Common Names:
Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
Adisa | | - | Western African, Yoruba |
Anita (1) | | ah-NEE-tah (Spanish), AH-nee-tah (Finnish) | Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, |
Collen | | ['kɔlin] | |
Floy | | [flɔi] | |
Jordan | | ['dʒɔ:dn] | |
Joceline | | zho-sə-LEEN | French |