“Jack and the Beanstalk”

Cultural

A children's story. Jack, a poor country boy, trades the family cow for a handful of magic beans, which grow into an enormous beanstalk reaching up into the clouds. Jack climbs the beanstalk and finds himself in the castle of an unfriendly giant. The giant senses Jack's presence and cries, “Fee, fie, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!” Outwitting the giant, Jack is able to retrieve many goods once stolen from his family, including an enchanted goose that lays golden eggs. Jack then escapes by chopping down the beanstalk. The giant, who is pursuing him, falls to his death, and Jack and his family prosper.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Papa, you’d be just like Jack and the Beanstalk,” she said.

From Literature

After “Rumpelstiltskin” come “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

From Literature

If you have even a scrap of sunny ground for planting, definitely push a sunflower seed into the ground this winter and stand back — it’s not exactly like Jack and the Beanstalk, but the way sunflowers grow is truly miraculous.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the standout moments was the all-out denim ensemble, worn like a work suit, complete with a whimsical, floppy “Jack and the Beanstalk” style hat — thus blending worlds, both sartorially and culturally.

From Seattle Times

“Hey, remember when we were in kindergarten or first grade, and the teacher read us the ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ story?”

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023