jar

[ jahr ]

/ dʒɑr /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR jar ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a broad-mouthed container, usually cylindrical and of glass or earthenware: a cookie jar.

the quantity such a container can or does hold.

Nearby words

Origin of jar

1585–95; < Middle French jarre < Old Provençal jarra < Arabic jarrah earthen water vessel

Related formsjar·less, adjective

Definition for jar (2 of 3)

jar

[ jahr ]

/ dʒɑr /

verb (used without object), jarred, jar·ring.

to have a harshly unpleasant or perturbing effect on one's nerves, feelings, thoughts, etc.: The sound of the alarm jarred.

to produce a harsh, grating sound; sound discordantly.

to vibrate audibly; rattle: The window jarred in the frame.

to vibrate or shake.

to conflict, clash, or disagree.

verb (used with object), jarred, jar·ring.

to cause to rattle or shake.

to have a sudden and unpleasant effect upon (the feelings, nerves, etc.): The burglary violently jarred their sense of security.

to cause to sound harshly or discordantly.

noun

a jolt or shake; a vibrating movement, as from concussion.

a sudden unpleasant effect upon the mind or feelings; shock.

a harsh, grating sound.

a discordant sound or combination of sounds.

a quarrel or disagreement, especially a minor one.

Origin of jar

1520–30; probably imitative; cf. chirr

Related formsjar·ring·ly, adverbun·jarred, adjectiveun·jar·ring, adjective

Definition for jar (3 of 3)

jar

[ jahr ]

/ dʒɑr /

noun

Archaic. a turn or turning.

Origin of jar

1665–75; variant of char³; cf. ajar²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for jar

[Laughs] I am definitely NOT playing anything like Jar Jar Binks!
Motion Capture Maestro Andy Serkis on ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ and Revolutionizing Cinema|Marlow Stern|July 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It held aspirin, Sal Hepatica, cigarette papers and a Mason jar full of tobacco.
Stanley Booth on the Life and Hard Times of Blues Genius Furry Lewis|Stanley Booth|June 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Olivia: At home, I found myself staring at a jar of snake venom skin product.
We Were Gwyneth’s GOOP Guinea Pigs|Erin Cunningham, Olivia Nuzzi|March 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was inspired by the short story “Mermaid in a Jar” by writer Sheila Heti, who spoke with Simmons for Interview magazine.
A Doll’s Life: Laurie Simmons Explores Kigurumi|Ann Binlot|March 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

At the Met, jewels by JAR may be tacky junk, but they tell us about ourselves.
Liberace Would Have Balked|Blake Gopnik|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He drew back a little, first checking to see if the guard was watching, then he bent down and looked into the jar.
The Egyptian Cat Mystery|Harold Leland Goodwin
Put this apparatus into a jar of water, and place the whole under a receiver.
Endless Amusement|Unknown
Not to go over the preliminaries again, I did, when the proper time came, touch my tongue with the contents of the third jar.
The Five Jars|Montague Rhodes James
Suppose that the cultivator goes every morning with a jar to carry off the stagnant water where it is productive of injury.
Harmonies of Political Economy|Frdric Bastiat
The jar is made to rest upon the girdle of the bearer, while she supports it upon her back by one or both of the handles.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, October, 1877, Vol. XX. No. 118|Various

British Dictionary definitions for jar (1 of 3)

jar

/ (dʒɑː) /

noun

a wide-mouthed container that is usually cylindrical, made of glass or earthenware, and without handles

Also: jarful the contents or quantity contained in a jar

British informal a glass of alcoholic drink, esp beerto have a jar with someone

obsolete a measure of electrical capacitance

Word Origin for jar

C16: from Old French jarre, from Old Provençal jarra, from Arabic jarrah large earthen vessel

British Dictionary definitions for jar (2 of 3)

jar

/ (dʒɑː) /

verb jars, jarring or jarred

to vibrate or cause to vibrate

to make or cause to make a harsh discordant sound

(often foll by on) to have a disturbing or painful effect (on the nerves, mind, etc)

(intr) to disagree; clash

noun

a jolt or shock

a harsh discordant sound

Derived Formsjarring, adjectivejarringly, adverb

Word Origin for jar

C16: probably of imitative origin; compare Old English cearran to creak

British Dictionary definitions for jar (3 of 3)

jar

/ (dʒɑː) /

noun

on a jar or on the jar (of a door) slightly open; ajar

Word Origin for jar

C17 (in the sense: turn): from earlier char, from Old English cierran to turn; see ajar 1

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

Word Origin and History for jar (1 of 2)

jar

1520s, "to make a harsh, grating sound," usually said to be echoic or imitative, but no one explains how, or of what. Figurative sense of "have an unpleasant effect on" is from 1530s; that of "cause to vibrate or shake" is from 1560s. Related: Jarred; jarring.

Word Origin and History for jar (1 of 2)

jar

"cylindrical vessel," early 15c., possibly from Middle French jarre "liquid measure" (smaller than a barrel), 12c., from Provençal jarra, from Arabic jarrah "earthen water vessel" (whence also Spanish jarra, Italian giarra) [Klein].

jar

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of jar

Definition for jar (2 of 3)

jar

verb (used without object), jarred, jar·ring.

verb (used with object), jarred, jar·ring.

noun

Origin of jar

Definition for jar (3 of 3)

jar

noun

Origin of jar

Examples from the Web for jar

British Dictionary definitions for jar (1 of 3)

jar

noun

Word Origin for jar

British Dictionary definitions for jar (2 of 3)

jar

verb jars, jarring or jarred

noun

Word Origin for jar

British Dictionary definitions for jar (3 of 3)

jar

noun

Word Origin for jar

Word Origin and History for jar (1 of 2)

jar

Word Origin and History for jar (1 of 2)

jar