# What is the correct form and meaning of this colloquialism. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282 "2004-05-27T02:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Voluble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/4af34b/32.png) [@Voluble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voluble)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/1 "2004-05-27T02:34:00Z")
I have often heard my mother say in reference to someone driving too fast that the person was “ballin’ the jack”. Does anyone know the origin of this phrase? Is this the correct formulation of the phrase? Am I correct about the meaning and if so how does it relate to speed? I suspect it is probably only used in the southern United States. Please refrain from the obvious play on words in your response unless you have a particularly clever take on it. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/2 "2004-05-27T02:41:39Z")
It was a railroadman’s term, originally. The “jack” is the engine, and “balling” is going at top speed or very hard. It worked its way into popular speech through the medium of blues and folk songs. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/3 "2004-05-27T02:45:19Z")
I’ve never heard your phrase before, but in aviation we have a vaguely similar phrase, “balls to the wall”, which means using maximum power. The accepted origin of that phrase is that the throttles and other various levers used to control the engine(s) used to be 6-8" tall steel stalks topped with 3/4" or so bakelite balls for a better grip, usually with engraved numbers to designate which engine they applied to, and often of differing shape or color depending on which engine funtion they controlled. A WW-II era airplane had between 3 and 5 such levers per engine, which made for a whole mob o’ knobs on a multi-engined airplane like B17. For max power, they were all pushed as far forwards as they’d go, towards the firewall that separates the cockpit from the single engine in the nose of smaller airplanes. So when you need max power, grab all the balls and shove 'em up to the wall. Perhaps your phrase is indirectly related, although at this late hour I’m having a hard time coming up with a connection. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/4 "2004-05-27T02:57:19Z")
I think the similarity of the phrase is accidental, **LSLGuy**. (Neat, though. I always thought it just meant “up against it.”) I dug around and found a [fleshed out explanation of the phrase.](http://catskillarchive.com/rrextra/glossry1.Html): > [@](#): > > HIGHBALL—Signal made by waving hand or lamp in a high, wide semicircle, meaning “Come ahead” or “Leave town” or “Pick up full speed.” Verb highball or phrase " 'ball the jack" means to make a fast run. The word “highball” originated from old-time ball signal on post, raised aloft by pulley when track was clear. A very few of these are still in service, in New England and elsewhere. > > […] > > JACK—Locomotive. (A term often confused with the lifting device, hence seldom used.) > > —From the glossary of Railroad Avenue, by Freeman H. Hubbard, 1945 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/5 "2004-05-27T03:33:57Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > It worked its way into popular speech through the medium of blues and folk songs. One of the better known songs, [Ballin’ the Jack](http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/thejack.htm) (Burris and Smith, 1913) was about a new dance. The song was popularized in _For Me and My Gal_ (1942). ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/6 "2004-05-27T03:36:33Z")
> **[Penguin Random House](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com?date=19980508)** > > Committed to publishing great books, connecting readers and authors globally, and spreading the love of reading. That’s a pretty good site’s take on it. “Probably” not from the train expression. Rather the 1913 song about dancing which popularized it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/7 "2004-05-27T03:37:22Z")
[Here’s more](http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3balin.htm) on the dance. From the site: > [@](#): > > There are stories that Ballin’ the Jack was sung by the African-Americans while laying rail for the rail road companies in the 1890’s. The Jack was acommon name for a locomotive (the jackass carrying the load), and Ballin’ was the trainmen’s hand gestures to ‘Highball it’ or “High Balling” which means, “faster or to have fun.” Fats Domino also had a hit with the song in the 1950s. ---
**Author:** ![hammerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hammerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammerbach)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/8 "2004-05-27T04:40:36Z")
I enjoyed it in _Haunted Honeymoon_ with Gene wilder and Gilda Radner, too. ---
**Author:** ![BillsCreek1952](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@BillsCreek1952](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BillsCreek1952)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/9 "2016-03-07T18:29:40Z")
This is an old southern railroad term from the mid 1800’s for “full steam”…going fast. Another similar term used “high balling” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/10 "2016-03-07T18:46:30Z")
Which **Larry Mudd** mentioned in post #2, way back in 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/11 "2016-03-07T18:47:01Z")
> [@BillsCreek1952](#): > > This is an old southern railroad term from the mid 1800’s for “full steam”…going fast. Another similar term used “high balling” I have heard this too. It is supposed to be a reference to flyball governors. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/12 "2016-03-07T20:18:19Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I have heard this too. It is supposed to be a reference to flyball governors. “Balls out” means the governor is at it’s maximum extension. [Jay Leno’s explanation on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfDYgMfuEvY) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-form-and-meaning-of-this-colloquialism/247282/13 "2016-03-07T20:51:28Z")
> [@Voluble](#): > > “ballin’ the jack”. Does anyone know the origin of this phrase? Your dad or some other male figure in your life when you were a small child didn’t happen to be named Jack, did they?