English Reference
Idiom idiom

Master John Goodfellow


The penis.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He keeps Master John Goodfellow hidden in his trousers.

CONTEXTUAL

The bawdy tavern song made several jokes about Master John Goodfellow, much to the embarrassment of the local priest.

COMPLEX

In the ribald literature of the period, the author frequently employed the euphemism Master John Goodfellow to describe the protagonist's anatomy.


Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    jack of all trades, master of none

    A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.

  2. 02

    Master of the Universe

    A powerful person.

  3. 03

    master plan

    A comprehensive document that sets out an overall strategy; the strategy itself.

  4. 04

    serve two masters

    To take orders from two superiors or two conflicting parties.

Last updated August 10, 2026