Meaning & use

John Hancock

proper noun·Academic

An American Founding Father whose large, bold signature on the Declaration of Independence made his name a byword for a signature.

See it in a sentence

He signed his John Hancock at the bottom of the lease without reading it fully.

John Hancock served as president of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution.

A note on using this word

In casual American English, 'John Hancock' is often used informally to mean simply 'your signature.'

Words with a similar meaning

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