A friend and I have bet money on this. I swear I’ve seen it written as “jukebox”; but admittedly only in a bar in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (so it could be the dutch version of the word). And whatever it is, just how did it get the name in the first place? For that matter, where and when did they originate?
huh, I DID write out "Is it “Jukebox” or “Jutebox”? in my original post header. Why it didn’t all appear I don’t know.
jukebox, or juke box.
a juke (or jook) formerly meant a house of ill repute, but later evolved to mean a dive, with drinks and dancing. hence, the juke box.
ps. quotes will fuck up your title. a mod can fix it for you.
Jukebox, as I’ve always seen it. I always assumed Juke meant “song” or “jig” or something.
A jutebox is a small prison in which ancient invaders to Britain are stored for posterity. (Either that, or a carry-case for transporting macramé supplies.)
I’ve heard it was in connection with the Jukes family. The surname is fictitious; there was a famous sociological study which purported to show that feeble-mindedness and crime ran in families, and this family was called the Jukeses to protect their identity. So, jukebox because the users of said machines were low-class folks? I’m not claiming this is the true etymology, just what I’ve read somewhere.
jouk or jook has an earlier meaning, to dodge a hit. There’s a whole bunch of archaic uses which derive from that, many of which have to do with making fast twitchy movements.
perhaps this etymology stretches toward the lusty lunges of lovemaking, and then down to dancing. perhaps not.
jb
Per Merriam-Webster though, jb_farley has got it right: juke = brothel.
Wonder what became of the Jukeses, though?