jam
1to press, squeeze, or wedge tightly between bodies or surfaces, so that motion or extrication is made difficult or impossible: The ship was jammed between two rocks.
to bruise or crush by squeezing: She jammed her hand in the door.
to fill too tightly; cram: He jammed the suitcase with clothing.
to press, push, or thrust violently, as into a confined space or against some object: She jammed her foot on the brake.
to fill or block up by crowding; pack or obstruct: Crowds jammed the doors.
to put or place in position with a violent gesture (often followed by on): He jammed his hat on and stalked out of the room.
to make (something) unworkable by causing parts to become stuck, blocked, caught, displaced, etc.: to jam a lock.
Radio.
to interfere with (radio signals or the like) by sending out other signals of approximately the same frequency.
(of radio signals or the like) to interfere with (other signals).
Music. to play (a piece) in a freely improvised, swinging way; jazz up: to jam both standard tunes and the classics.
Nautical. to head (a sailing ship) as nearly as possible into the wind without putting it in stays or putting it wholly aback.
to become stuck, wedged, fixed, blocked, etc.: This door jams easily.
to press or push, often violently, as into a confined space or against one another: They jammed into the elevator.
(of a machine, part, etc.) to become unworkable, as through the wedging or displacement of a part.
Music. to participate in a jam session.
to collaborate informally, freely, and creatively with others: Our department was jamming on a customer project and didn't have time to prep a demo for the conference.
Slang.
to make good progress; do well: Working alone is awesome when I’m jamming on a project that I love.
to thoroughly like or enjoy something: The colors came out rather well, but I'm just not jamming on the actual image.
the act of jamming or the state of being jammed.
a mass of objects, vehicles, etc., jammed together or otherwise unable to move except slowly: a log jam; a traffic jam.
Informal. a difficult or embarrassing situation; fix: He got himself into a jam with his boss.
Music.
a piece of music: On November 18, the 16-year-old star dropped her new jam, marking an evolution in her sound and style.
Slang.
something that one particularly likes, enjoys, or does well: Seriously, a huge meat patty and garlic fries are pretty much my jam after a day outside.Since math is not my jam, I’ll let y’all figure out the rest.
something that one finds pleasant or easy: Life isn't all jam for me just now.
a contest, meeting, or conference at which people collaborate informally, freely, and creatively: People from 158 countries registered for the jam and shared their ideas for action to improve the quality of life in the world’s cities.
Origin of jam
1Words Nearby jam
Other definitions for jam (2 of 3)
a preserve of whole fruit, slightly crushed, boiled with sugar: strawberry jam.
Origin of jam
2Other words from jam
- jamlike, jammy, adjective
Other definitions for Jam. (3 of 3)
Jamaica.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use jam in a sentence
Koslow had faced criticism earlier in the summer for serving moldy jam at her restaurant, allegedly taking credit for other people’s recipes, and hiding an illegal kitchen space from the health department.
The Mess That Is the 2020 James Beard Awards, Explained | Elazar Sontag | September 11, 2020 | EaterMany of these worker bees weren’t looking for electronic jams or Gregorian chants.
People who really miss the office are listening to its sounds at home | Tanya Basu | September 10, 2020 | MIT Technology ReviewIn early April, during that brief phase when lockdown felt more like an unexplored alien planet than the inescapable traffic jam it soon became, I called Japan’s biggest karaoke operators to see what they made of it all.
That weekend and Monday saw 10-hour traffic jams to cross the border, the Union-Tribune reports.
Border Report: The Lingering Trauma of Family Separation | Maya Srikrishnan | August 31, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoHowever, if that is your jam and a wall with a hole in it somewhere awaits you, have at it.
Most Cacophony events were one-off affairs, just enough to jam the culture a bit before moving on.
Before the Bros, SantaCon Was as an Anti-Corporate Protest | David Freedlander | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe rears of planes are becoming hell with smaller, harder seats to jam as many passengers in as possible.
Flying Coach Is the New Hell: How Airlines Engineer You Out of Room | Clive Irving | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTLike Jolly, most of the women raced other motorized vehicles before making it into Monster jam.
The Moms of Monster Jam Drive Trucks, Buck Macho Culture | Eliza Krigman | November 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn 2015, Monster jam will have a fleet of eight female drivers.
The Moms of Monster Jam Drive Trucks, Buck Macho Culture | Eliza Krigman | November 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen my British husband insisted that what he truly wanted for his birthday was to see a Monster jam Truck show, I cringed inside.
The Moms of Monster Jam Drive Trucks, Buck Macho Culture | Eliza Krigman | November 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe became the low-born, petty tradesman, using the language of the hands of his jam factory.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeThe system would be perfect for the mellowing of port or madeira, but when it is applied to plum and apple jam or, when 18 pr.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonI dont think much of this jam pie, complained Chet, holding up a wedge that he had taken from his sisters basket.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage | Gertrude W. MorrisonA river a hundred feet in width was crossed by a convenient jam of logs and trees.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail | Arthur R. ThompsonIf anybody else offered him a bigger piece, or more jam, he would very quickly leave me.
Digby Heathcote | W.H.G. Kingston
British Dictionary definitions for jam (1 of 3)
/ (dʒæm) /
(tr) to cram or wedge into or against something: to jam paper into an incinerator
(tr) to crowd or pack: cars jammed the roads
to make or become stuck or locked: the switch has jammed
(tr often foll by on) to activate suddenly (esp in the phrase jam on the brakes)
(tr) to block; congest: to jam the drain with rubbish
(tr) to crush, bruise, or squeeze; smash
radio to prevent the clear reception of (radio communications or radar signals) by transmitting other signals on the same frequency
(intr) slang to play in a jam session
a crowd or congestion in a confined space: a traffic jam
the act of jamming or the state of being jammed
informal a difficult situation; predicament: to help a friend out of a jam
See jam session
Origin of jam
1Derived forms of jam
- jammer, noun
British Dictionary definitions for jam (2 of 3)
/ (dʒæm) /
a preserve containing fruit, which has been boiled with sugar until the mixture sets
slang something desirable: you want jam on it
jam today the principle of living for the moment
Origin of jam
2British Dictionary definitions for Jam. (3 of 3)
Jamaica
Bible James
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with jam
see under get in a bind.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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