Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to stop doing something, to give in, to abandon, to resign; thus jacked in, abandoned, given up.

1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 June 18/2: He jacked on rhyme, forswore the tender tear; / He ‘sacked’ the Muses, and now brews sound beer.
1895		Leeds Times 15 June 7/6: If I ‘jack it up’ now, that would be ‘jolly’ dense.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 13 Jan. 2/8: Rignold had the production of the most sensational item in the ‘Span of Life’ in contemplation, but ‘jacked’ on having to engage three professional acrobats.
1905		L.C. Cornford Canker at the Heart 7: Some on ’em was painters and such, or clurks, an’ they had their hands cut an’ bleeding and had to jack it up, poor blokes.
1910		Truth Perth) 9 Apr. 8/8: She did tell the Central Beak, sir, / That she'd knock the habit off / But she couldn't go that minute / And to jack it like a toff / [...] had to be done slowly.
1958		F. Norman Bang To Rights 83: What do you expect me to do if I jack this job in?
1963		C. Wood ‘Prisoner and Escort’ in Cockade (1965) I iii: Belt up. Now. Jack it. [Ibid.] I iii: Now jag it in.
1965		E. Bond Saved Scene vi: Thass one good reason for jackin’ ’er in.
1973		(con. 1930s) F. Huelin ‘Keep Moving’ 51: ‘This is no good to me,’ I said. ‘I’m jacking it.’.
1976		P. Theroux Family Arsenal 274: ‘You’re quitting?’ said Sweeney disgustedly. ‘You think you can jack it in just like that?’.
1982		P. Redmond Tucker and Co 97: ‘Jack it in will you?’ Benny moaned.
1992		G. Disher Paydirt [ebook] ‘If he sees a car shouldn’t be there, he could jack it [i.e. a planned robbery] in’.
1998		G. Burn Happy Like Murderers 87: He jacked the job there and then.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 198: If I just jacked it in the morn, that would show the cunts.
2000		Guardian Rev. 11 Feb. 12: He might have jacked it all in by now and gone to live on a farm.
2009		L. McIlvanney All the Colours 59: Banker Bill MacLaren was jacking it in.
2009		J. Joso Soothing Music for Stray Cats 191: I just needed to face the practicalities of really jacking all that shite in.
2009		T. Black Gutted 63: I don’t remember telling you I’d jacked the booze.
2012		R. Milward Kimberly’s Capital Punishment (2023) 252: I keep meaning to jack in the crack.
2015		I. Welsh Decent Ride 277: Goat a bit depressd eftir [...] this burd ay wis seeing jacked ays in.