1. (U.S. slang, esp. among writers) A professional writer paid little to produce large amounts of content or a large number of articles in a short period for any type of commercial publication as part of an entry-level writing position or contract work; typically a copy jockey's pay rate or employer requirements force her to disregard good style, structure, grammar and/or sound research, not because she is incapable of fine writing, but because her pay rate and/or deadlines will not permit intense attention to detail without making the writer destitute; in cases of Internet copy jockeys, work may feature black-hat SEO tactics like excessive keyword stuffing (See: "Word Salad"); a hack 2. A poorly paid or unpaid intern or contractor anywhere, but especially in law practices, whose primary responsibilities include basic clerical work, such as creating a large number of photocopies by a given deadline. 3. A real-estate agent who sells properties whose listings were secured by other agents; typically such agents do not make as much as those who generate listings.
"Although the company's Craigslist ad stated they were looking for young journalists with a fresh perspective, their stated pay rate revealed they could only afford a copy jockey."
"Tell that copy jockey Brad to grab me a coffee on his way back from Kinkos."
"If you don't take the initiative to get your own listings, you'll always be Frank's copy jockey."
Derivation: Probably a singsong comparison between the speed with which legal interns must work and the speed with which horse jockeys must ride. Also, likely, a comparison between the low salaries both jobs offer. See: "copy" and "jockey."
The earliest online usage of the term among the legal community dates from 2005. The earliest instance of its use as Definition 1 is found in 2008 business emails by American journalist, poet, comic-book writer and critic Phillip DeNune Provance. Provance likely requisitioned the term from an unidentified New York City paralegal. Since the second half of the same decade, the term has entered wider usage, especially among bloggers, as an epithet for the underpaid and over-worked in all professions.
Compare "copy jockey" with "hack": A "copy jockey" knows how to write better, but either does not have time or is required to write poorly; a "hack," in contrast, is oblivious to the low quality of her work.
"Tell that copy jockey Brad to grab me a coffee on his way back from Kinkos."
"If you don't take the initiative to get your own listings, you'll always be Frank's copy jockey."
Derivation: Probably a singsong comparison between the speed with which legal interns must work and the speed with which horse jockeys must ride. Also, likely, a comparison between the low salaries both jobs offer. See: "copy" and "jockey."
The earliest online usage of the term among the legal community dates from 2005. The earliest instance of its use as Definition 1 is found in 2008 business emails by American journalist, poet, comic-book writer and critic Phillip DeNune Provance. Provance likely requisitioned the term from an unidentified New York City paralegal. Since the second half of the same decade, the term has entered wider usage, especially among bloggers, as an epithet for the underpaid and over-worked in all professions.
Compare "copy jockey" with "hack": A "copy jockey" knows how to write better, but either does not have time or is required to write poorly; a "hack," in contrast, is oblivious to the low quality of her work.
by copy jockey October 30, 2013
Get the copy jockeymug. The people at work that are so useless they can only carry a clipboard around to appear that their working. Some companies refer to them as supervisors.
by J.Teezy November 28, 2009
Get the Clipboard jockeymug. Dude, I've seen that girl with 3 other guys in this week alone. She needs to stop being such a peen jockey or her reputation will be defiled.
by AltheaJ April 3, 2011
Get the peen jockeymug. by Voneville September 7, 2005
Get the chopper jockeymug. by Fred L. October 2, 2007
Get the camel jockeymug. by David Gustafson October 14, 2003
Get the Jockey Whipmug. one who straddles said knobbage wearing a small colourful hat and matching blouse and is usually 5 ft (sometimes may carry sugarlumps and a whip)
by joandsi October 28, 2006
Get the knob jockeymug.