noun (plural ~es or jacks-in-the-box) Date: 1702 a toy consisting of a small box out of which a figure (as of a clown's head) springs when the lid is raised
JACK-IN-THE-BOX
Meaning of JACK-IN-THE-BOX in English
Merriam Webster. Explanatory English dictionary Merriam Webster. Толковый словарь английского языка Мерриам-Уэбстер. 2012