Definition of "blackjack"

The pain is sometimes like the dull, heavy thud of being hit with a lead-filled blackjack; other times like a wizard is reaching deep below the skin and ripping muscles, tendons, and nerves.

2016, Justin O. Schmidt, The Sting of the Wild, Johns Hopkins University Press,, page 131

A little creek ran through the land, and the prairie rolled a little there, too. Nothing but blackjacks for miles around it, but on that section, because of the water, I suppose, there were elms and persimmons and cottonwoods and even a grove of pecans.

1930, Edna Ferber, Cimarron, page 23

A steep slope rose, crested by stunted blackjacks.

1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Library of America, published 1985, page 20

This man had a brother about six miles off, settled on a rich White River bottom-land farm -- and while a blackjack clay soil yielded seventy bushels to the acre, this fine bottom-land would not average fifty.

1859, Henry Ward Beecher, Plain and Pleasant Talk about Fruits, Flowers, and Farming, page 216

Blackjack soil is generally the poorest of all; it covers the narrow and rocky ridges, and has a stunted growth of blackjack and post oaks. The soil is dark in color, thin and cold, and is underlaid with pale yellow or slate-colored clay.

1884, United States Census Office, Census Reports: Tenth Census: June 1, 1880: Cotton production in the United States, page 20

The predominant soil is the blackjack soil like that of the lower plateaus, seemingly, however, in most cases a little more sandy and a little coarser in grain.

1911, Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, page 1871

Today, most types of land development in areas underlain by Iredell and related “blackjack” soil series—a catch-all term for Jackland, Whitestore, Orange, Zion, and other high shrink-swell clayey soils—is generally discouraged.

2010, Gary Mark Fleeger, Steven J. Whitmeyer, The Mid-Atlantic Shore to the Appalachian Highlands: Field Trip Guidebook for the 2010 Joint Meeting of the Northeastern and Southeastern GSA Sections, Geological Society of America, page 48

Cotton grew robustly in western Cabarrus County's blackjack soil, pointing Concord beyond its agricultural base toward its first industry: textiles.

2011, Michael Eury, Concord, Arcadia Publishing

"Next!" steps gingerly in to confront the medical eye fastened questioningly upon him. "Crook in the guts," he says tersely. The picturesque reports of previously treated and disgusted patients - have left him doubtful, and he casts, an anathematising eye upon the "Black Jack" bottle. "Tabloids and duty!" says the doctor, and the sufferer sighs with relief.

1914 October 11, The Sunday Times, Perth, Australia, page 1, column 9

I remember Black Jack very well and actually like the smell. It is no longer available with that trade name but glycerine of ichthammol can still be bought in chemists.

2010 October 19, John Davies, birminghamhistory.co.uk‎

Used to be called Black Jack think my mom had an ancient jar in her medicine cupboard.

2008 September 19, stef240377, MoneySavingExpert.com‎

“We cannot have you getting blackjacked and bound yet again.”

2019, Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Water Dancer, Penguin Books (2020), page 233