jab

American  

[jab] / dʒæb /

verb (used with object)

jabs, present (3rd person singular) jabbed, past participle, past jabbing present participle

1. to poke, or thrust abruptly or sharply, as with the end or point of a stick or with the finger or elbow.

2. to punch with a short, quick blow.

3. Informal. to give (a person) a hypodermic injection, especially of a vaccine: I jab myself with insulin twice a day.

   Here’s a list of the countries you can visit if you haven’t been jabbed.

   I jab myself with insulin twice a day.

---

verb (used without object)

jabs, present (3rd person singular) jabbed, past participle, past jabbing present participle

1. to poke or punch with a sharp, quick blow.

noun

1. a poke with the end or point of something; a sharp, quick thrust.

2. a short, quick punch.

3. Informal. a hypodermic injection, especially of a vaccine.

   Have you gotten your flu jab yet?

4. Informal. an abrupt insult or critical remark.

   That guy has no problem responding with a sarcastic jab.

5. a sudden and unpleasant sensation or emotion: He knew she was happier now, but he still felt the slightest jab of guilt.

   I have jabs of pain, numbness, and tingling in my fingers.

   He knew she was happier now, but he still felt the slightest jab of guilt.

jab British  

/ dʒæb /

verb

1. to poke or thrust sharply

2. to strike with a quick short blow or blows

---

noun

1. a sharp poke or stab

2. a quick short blow, esp (in boxing) a straight punch with the leading hand

3. informal an injection

   polio jabs

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• jabbing
  adjective
• jabbingly
  adverb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have jabbed
  perfect
• has jabbed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been jabbing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• jabs
  singular 3rd person
• are jabbing
  progressive
• am jabbing
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been jabbing
  perfect progressive
• jabbing
  participle
• is jabbing
  progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had jabbed
  perfect
• were jabbing
  progressive plural
• was jabbing
  progressive singular
• had been jabbing
  perfect progressive
• jabbed
  participle
• jabbed
  simple

Future

• will jab
  simple
• will have jabbed
  perfect
• will have been jabbing
  perfect progressive
• will be jabbing
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of jab

First recorded in 1825–35; variant, originally Scots, of job ²

Explanation

When you jab someone, you poke that person. No one on the school bus wants to sit next to the kid who tends to jab people in their ribs with his sharp elbows. You might accidentally jab a man on the elevator with your umbrella, or jab your annoying brother on purpose when he's talking with his mouth full at dinner. Another kind of jab is a quick, sharp punch, especially the kind you make in martial arts. The word comes from the Scottish job, "to strike, pierce, or thrust," which in turn is rooted in the Middle English jobben, "to jab or thrust."

Example Sentences

The first stint ended in July 2016, when Krispy Kreme was acquired by JAB Beech to end about a 16-year run as a public company.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

The gains are a boon for JAB Holding Co, the investment firm owned by the German Reimann family, which held nearly 70% of the voting power in JDE Peet's.

From BBC • Aug. 25, 2025

Under the order, JAB must obtain FTC approval before buying veterinary clinics within 25 miles of the sites it owns in Texas and California.

From Salon • Dec. 1, 2022

Pret, owned by investment group JAB and founder Sinclair Beecham, said on Wednesday it plans to open more than 200 UK shops in the next two years, including 100 franchise shops.

From Reuters • Sep. 21, 2021

After initially going public in 2000, the company was purchased in a $1.35 billion deal by JAB Holding in 2016 and taken private.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 1, 2021

Related Words

• dig
• punch