Joe, n.2
Etymology: Familiar abbreviation of the name Joseph.
colloq. or slang.
1.
a. Short for Joe Miller n. at sense 4.
1834 R. Southey Doctor I. 159
Of what use a story may be even in the most serious debates may be seen from the circulation of old Joes in Parliament.
1882 Athenæum 9 Sept. 337/2
Such venerable Joes as the ‘Lapsus linguæ’ story.
1834—1882(Hide quotations)
b. phr. not for Joe (Joseph) , by no means, not on any account.
1844 ‘C. Selby’ London by Night
(1886)
ii. i. 9/1
Jack. Who's to pay? Ned. Whichever you please. Jack. Oh! in that case you may as well settle it. Ned. Not for Joseph! You asked me to tea.
c1867 Broadside Ballad in J. S. Farmer & W. E. Henley Slang
(1896)
IV. 76/2
Not for Joe...Not for Joseph, if he knows it.
1928 J. Galsworthy Swan Song ii. xiii. 219
Not if he knew it—not for Joe.
1844—1928(Hide quotations)
1855 W. Howitt Land, Labour & Gold I. xxii. 400
The well-known cry of ‘Joe! Joe!’..which means..one of the myrmidons of Charley Joe, as they familiarly style Mr. [Charles Joseph] La Trobe [Governor of Victoria].
1855 C. R. Thatcher in Stewart & Keesing Old Bush Songs
(1957)
111
Should a body ‘Joe’ a body For having on a hat?
1861 T. McCombie Austral. Sketches 135
To ‘Joey’ or ‘Joe’ a person on the diggings, or anywhere else in Australia, is grossly to insult and ridicule him.
1862 E. Hodder Mem. N.Z. Life 188
As [the diggers] descried us approaching on the rocks, a simultaneous cry of ‘Joe! Joe!’ was raised. This is a popular cry on the New Zealand diggings and is used to hail any ‘new chums’ who may appear. It had its origin at the Australian diggings, where licenses were granted to all who held claims... When the police came upon the ground, to inspect licences, the cry of ‘Joe!’ was raised.
1871 C. L. Money Knocking about in N.Z. vii. 103
The word ‘Joe’ expresses derision usually bestowed on new chums on the diggings, or any man acting, or dressing, or speaking in any way considered as outré by the diggers themselves.
1871 C. L. Money Knocking about in N.Z. vii. 103
Among the first to ‘Joe’ me at the beginning.
1917 H. H. Richardson Fortunes Richard Mahony I. i. i. 11
An odd figure..crying at the top of her voice: ‘Joe, boys!—Joe, Joe, Joey!’
1855—1917(Hide quotations)
3. Joe Manton n. ‘A name given to fowling-pieces made by Joseph Manton, a celebrated London gunsmith’ (Farmer Slang).
1816 Scott Antiquary III. x. 202
It's a capital piece; it's a Joe Manton, that cost forty guineas.
1885 W. H. Russell in Harper's Mag. Apr. 771/1
Malachy..shot with a Joe Manton.
1816—1885(Hide quotations)
4. Joe Miller n.
[ < the name of Joseph Miller, a comedian (1684–1738), attached to a popular jest-book published after his death.]
a. A jest-book.[Miller's chief reputation was made for him after his death by John Mottley, who was commissioned by a publisher, T. Reid, in 1739 to compile a collection of jests, and unwarrantably entitled his work ‘Joe Miller's jests, or the Wit's Vade-mecum’. Dict. National Biogr. s.v. Joseph Miller.]
1789 G. Parker Life's Painter xii. 96
What..should not be found in every common jest book, or a Joe Miller, page 14.
1789—1789(Hide quotations)
b. A jest or joke; esp. a stale joke, a ‘chestnut’.
1829 Scott Antiquary
(new ed.)
II. xviii. 237
A fool and his money are soon parted, nephew—there is a Joe Miller for your Joe Manton.
1870 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. Sc. Life
(ed. 18)
p. xxx
Many of the anecdotes are mere Joe Millers.
1829—1870(Hide quotations)
c. Hence (nonce-wds.) Joe-ˈMillerism n. the practice of retailing stale jokes. Joe-ˈMillerize v. (trans.) to render jocular or comic, to turn into a joke (see quot. 1866 at -ize suffix 6).
1882 Ogilvie's Imperial Dict.
(new ed.)
Joe-Millerism.
1882—1882(Hide quotations)
5. colloq.
a. A fellow, ‘guy’, chap; (in certain countries) an American. Cf. G.I. Joe n., holy Joe n.
1846 ‘Lord Chief Baron’ Swell's Night Guide
(new ed.)
123/1
Joe, an imaginary person, nobody, as Who do those things belong to? Joe.
1906 E. Dyson Fact'ry 'Ands viii. 92
Why, man, it's meat 'n' beer t' them Joes what go in fer bringin' ther wanderers 'ome.
1932 Amer. Speech June 333
Joe, term used to designate anyone whose real name is unknown. When used with a place or profession ‘Joe’ indicates a perfect example of the type connected with that place or profession.
1945 ‘A. Boucher’ in M. Gordon & G. Gordon Pride of Felons
(1964)
80
The customers are mostly elderly Italian businessmen who are good Joes.
1947 Amer. Speech 22 55/1
Joe, name given by the natives [in the Pacific] to any American.
1952 S. Selvon Brighter Sun iv. 55
In Trinidad... All Americans..are known as ‘Joes’.
1957 J. Osborne Entertainer viii. 71
While everyone else is sitting on their hands you're the Joe at the back cheering.
1962 ‘E. Lacy’ Freeloaders vii. 133
Way I see it, Gil is an American... We joes have to stick together.
1969 M. Pugh Last Place Left xvi. 110
A few of his men were Irish moleskin joes from the hydro-electric operation.
1972 J. Burmeister Running Scared xii. 169
Be a good Joe and take the pills. Please.
1973 Publishers Weekly 26 Mar. 65/2
The average Joe probably thinks that cyclists..are eccentric folk.
1846—1973(Hide quotations)
b. Joe College n. ‘A college boy; esp. one devoted to amusement’ (Webster, 1961).
1932 Amer. Speech June 333
‘Joe College’ is a perfect specimen of the college man. Often used with ‘himself’.
1964 Amer. Speech 39 193
The net effect of the publications on college slang has been to encourage the image of perky Joe College.
1932—1964(Hide quotations)
c.
(a) Joe Bloggs n. a name applied to a hypothetical average or ordinary man.
1969 Guardian 6 Mar. 7/2
LSD can be taken by Joe Bloggs on a lump of sugar.
1971 Daily Tel. 27 July 13/5
In too many cases these forms arrive on the desk of a busy executive who concludes that Joe Bloggs down the corridor must have signed the order.
1973 K. Giles File on Death iv. 98
Joe Bloggs, the honest garage mechanic.
1969—1973(Hide quotations)
(b) Joe Blow n. (U.S.), = Joe Bloggs n. at sense 5c(a).
c1941 P. Kendall & ‘J. Viney’ Dict. Army–Navy Slang
Joe Blow…means any soldier.
1956 ‘B. Holiday’ & W. Dufty Lady sings Blues ix. 103
But just let me walk out of the club one night with a young white boy of my age, whether it was John Roosevelt, the President's son, or Joe Blow.
1970 C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 71
Joe Blow,..horn-blowing musician..came to mean any male person.
c1941—1970(Hide quotations)
(c) Joe Doakes n. (also Joe Dokes) = Joe Bloggs n. at sense 5c(a).
1943 Amer. Speech 18 109
Joe Doakes, generic term for all ball players.
1945 L. Lane How to become Comedian x. 92
He would ask the conductor if he had seen ‘Joe Dokes’ last night.
1968 Jazz Monthly 15/1
All these items are essentially jazz-tinged versions of Joe Doakes's favourite melodies.
1943—1968(Hide quotations)
d. Joe Soap n. name applied to a ‘dumb’ person, a mug; also, more generally, a quite ordinary person, any person.
1943 J. L. Hunt & A. G. Pringle Service Slang 41
Joe Soap, the ‘dumb’ or not so intelligent members of the forces. The men who are ‘over-willing’ and therefore the usual ‘stooges’.
1966 ‘L. Lane’ ABZ of Scouse 56
Joe Soap, whozit, whatzisname. When asked by the police to account for the possession of a stolen article the answer often is I got guv it by Joe Soap.
1968 ‘B. Mather’ Springers xi. 111
I sat there like Joe Soap on guard; feeling guilty if I dozed off.
1969 Guardian 31 Mar. 15/8
Socialists have become..over-eager to find out what Joe Soap is doing in order to tell him not to do it.
1972 J. Brown Chancer ix. 118
Who do you think I am, moosh? Joe Soap?
1943—1972(Hide quotations)
6. Joe Blake n. Austral. rhyming slang. A snake.
1927 M. Terry Through Land of Promise ix. 123
I'll bet you what you like there are Joe Blakes in this camp.
1934 Bulletin
(Sydney)
22 Aug. 20/2
At Bob's prompting Billy sneaked up quietly and quickly behind Joe Blake, and, seizing the tail firmly, gave a terrific swing round his head.
1970 Sunday Mail Mag.
(Brisbane)
11 Jan. 3/1
We've camped..with the Joe Blakes, the goannas, the flies, and 4000 skinny jumbucks.
1927—1970(Hide quotations)
7. A French Canadian. Canad. slang.
1963 R. I. McDavid & D. W. Maurer Mencken's Amer. Lang.
(new ed.)
368
Frog is not applied in Canada to a French Canadian, who is a Canuck or simply Joe, and prefers to be called a Habitant.
1966 Globe & Mail
(Toronto)
19 Apr. 6/6
Their waspish counterparts in Quebec always refer to ‘pea-soupers’ or ‘Joes’. The word ‘Frog’ in that connection went out of fashion 50 years ago.
1963—1966(Hide quotations)
Draft additions 1997
Joe Public n. (A member of) an audience; hence (a member of) the general public. Frequently mildly derogatory slang (orig. U.S. Theatr.).
1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §584/4
Audience,..Joe Public.
1953 Commercial & Financial Chron. 14 May 13
(heading)
Paging Joe Public.
1972 Bankers Mag.
(Boston, Mass.)
Winter 102/2
Some very powerful bankers and brokers leaked..news of the downturn in the affairs of Douglas Aircraft. This permitted those who were privy to the information to get out from under before ‘Joe Public’.
1978 D. Norden in F. Muir & D. Norden Take my Word for It 80
We've really got to provide Joe Public with some sort of ongoing visual reference-point.
1991 Model Railways Mar. 111/1
The East Midlands Model Railway Exhibition..is actually aimed at the railway modeller and the enthusiast, rather than ‘Joe Public’.
1942—1991(Hide quotations)
Draft additions August 2004
Joe Citizen n. colloq. (orig. N. Amer.) (a name for) a hypothetical average person; (also) the general public collectively; cf. John Q. n. 2.
1932 Appleton
(Wisconsin)
Post Crescent 26 Mar. 7/3
Mister Joe Citizen, the kind of gent most of us are.
1970 Managem. Sci. 16 b747
Helping the social enterpreneurs [sic], managers and just plain ‘Joe Citizen’ to adapt, adjust, cope and deal as men of intelligent action.
2000 N. DeMille Lion's Game xlvi. 517
There are lots of ways to find a missing Joe Citizen in America.
1932—2000(Hide quotations)
Draft additions August 2004
Joe Schmo n. slang (orig. U.S.) (a name for) a hypothetical average or ordinary person; esp. (occasionally depreciative) a person of no distinction; cf. schmo n. and schm- comb. form.
1947 Traverse City
(Mich.)
Record-Eagle 23 May 1/3
Joe Schmo, who shares an office with six other guys in a Broadway loft.
1969 N.Y. Times 1 Jan. 26/2
Remember he's dealing with a Brennan, not just Joe Schmo, so everything was very tense.
1999 Mail on Sunday 26 Sept. 70/4
Now he's a greying, flabby Joe Schmo, a hero within school walls but a zero in the real world.
1947—1999(Hide quotations)
Draft additions June 2003
Joe Sixpack n. orig. and chiefly U.S. a hypothetical average working or blue-collar person, esp. a man.
1972 N.Y. Times 6 Apr. 30/8
He carried the working-class suburbs of Cudahy and South Milwaukee, demonstrating an appeal to the voters some politicians call ‘Joe Six-pack’.
1977 Washington Post
(Nexis)
14 Feb. c1
We wanted a design simple enough for Joe Sixpack to do on his own house, and we wanted our building to be a statement in support of renewable energy resources.
1989 Washington Post 1 Oct. d4/1
Bipartisan mid-1960's progressivism..was a misleading prelude to the ‘Joe Sixpack’ Middle American populism that started carving out a new GOP presidential era a few years later.
1994 Observer 22 May (Life Suppl.) 64/2
Sirius and others on the magazine decided to put together A User's Guide To The New Edge, a primer intended to help Joe Sixpack get virtual.
1972—1994(Hide quotations)