jack-in-the box
noun phrase

- a children's toy consisting of a box with a model of a person inside it which jumps out and gives you a surprise when the top of the box is raised

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ORIGIN

One theory regarding the origin of the term "jack-in-the-box" stems from Sir John Schorne, a celebrated 12th century pious Christian who was believed by the people of Norfolk to possess healing powers. As legend has it, he caught the Devil and held him captive in his boot. Several English church screens still contain images of Schorne with the Devil peeping out of a boot.

Another origin theory is that in the 16th century, jack-in-the-box was the name given to a swindler who cheated tradesmen by substituting empty boxes for the full ones that were expected. "Jack" has been used to personify men in general for centuries, and not always in a nice way. A jackass is a pejorative term for a stupid person for instance. And a jack-of-all-trades is someone who has general knowledge about many things, but is not an expert in any.

Sailors were once called "jack tars" and there was a time in England when Jack was used as a form of contempt for a man of lower social class. These days, those named Jack can thank Johnny Depp. Captain Jack Sparrow, in the wildly successful Pirates of the Caribbean films, has made it okay to be called Jack again.

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Practice OWAD in a conversation:

"Jim was like a JACK-IN-A-BOX during his presentation, he stood and sat at least a dozen times."