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John Henry
noun
- Informal. a person's signature.
- U.S. Folklore. a legendary Black man of exceptional strength and stamina.
“John Henry”
1- An American folksong ( see folk music ) about the “steel-driving man” John Henry . It contains these lines:
John Henry said to his captain,
“A man ain't nothin' but a man,
And before I'd let your steam drill beat me down,
I'd die with the hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord!
I'd die with the hammer in my hand.”
Henry, John
2- A hero of American folktales and folk songs. The stories portray him as a black man, enormously strong, who worked on railroads or on steamboats and died from exhaustion after he outperformed a steam drill in a contest.
Word History and Origins
Origin of John Henry1
Example Sentences
Magician John Henry Anderson died in 1874, the same year Harry Houdini was born - yet despite the two never meeting, Anderson was reputedly among the legendary escapologist's greatest inspirations.
The film follows John Henry Ramirez, an inmate on death row in Texas, who was convicted after stabbing convenience store worker Pablo Castro 29 times over less than two dollars.
The film follows Texas death row inmate John Henry Ramire in his final days.
Set in 1872, Forsaken, focuses on embittered gunslinger John Henry Clayton's return to his hometown and his attempts to build bridges with his estranged father.
John Henry Smythe was one of 60 West Africans to serve in the RAF, now his story is about to be shared at Thame Museum.
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