# Jacob

/ˈdʒeɪkəb/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jacob
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. male name

noun · CEFR A1

a common name for a boy or man.

For teachers: a male given name of Hebrew origin, meaning 'supplanter'.

- Jacob is one of the most popular names for baby boys this year.
- The biblical figure Jacob is a central patriarch in the Abrahamic traditions, known for his twelve sons who became the tribes of Israel.

### 2. breed of sheep

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of sheep that often has four horns and a spotted coat.

For teachers: a breed of multihorned (polycerate) sheep, typically characterized by a piebald or spotted fleece.

- The farmer kept a small flock of Jacob sheep because of their striking horns.
- The Jacob is a primitive breed whose unique genetic markers distinguish it from other modern British commercial sheep populations.

### 3. a ladder

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Archaic · Slang

an old word for a ladder.

For teachers: a slang term for a ladder, derived from the biblical 'Jacob's Ladder'.

- The old thief told his partner to bring the jacob to the wall.
- In nineteenth-century criminal cant, a 'jacob' was the standard term for a ladder used during a housebreaking.

## Examples

- He spent his first paycheck on a shiny new Jacob.
- The rapper gestured toward his wrist to show off the custom Jacob he bought after the tour.
- While the lyrics focused on his humble beginnings, his diamond-encrusted Jacob served as a silent, glittering contradiction to the narrative of poverty.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.