ajar

¹

[uh-jahr]

adjective

1. neither entirely open nor entirely shut; partly open.

   The door was ajar.

ajar

²

[uh-jahr]

adverb

1. in contradiction to; at variance with.

   a story ajar with the facts.

ajar

¹

/ əˈdʒɑː /

adjective

1. (esp of a door or window) slightly open

ajar

²

/ əˈdʒɑː /

adjective

1. (postpositive) not in harmony

Word History and Origins

Origin of ajar¹

1350–1400; Middle English on char on the turn; a- ¹, char ³

Origin of ajar²

1545–55; for at jar at discord; jar ³ (noun)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ajar¹

C18: altered form of obsolete on char, literally: on the turn; char, from Old English cierran to turn

Origin of ajar²

C19: altered form of at jar at discord. See _jar ²

Example Sentences

Despite this, India has refrained from imposing retaliatory tariffs against the US and has left the door ajar for further negotiations.

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At this point she said the garden was overgrown, there was mould on the windows - which were left ajar in winter - and the back gates were in need of repair.

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I was continually scaling walls and dragging him, covered in engine grease, out from under a car in the morning after he slipped out the front door left ajar.

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Vatican sources say that was to keep the door for dialogue ajar, even when it seemed hopeless.

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The door to a pilot’s plane appeared to be ajar as it took off from Fullerton Airport, moments before it crashed into a warehouse, according to investigators.

Read more on Los Angeles Times