jam

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See also: jamb, JAM, jám, -jam, Jam., and ям

English[edit]

Marmalade, a type of jam, spread on a piece of bread
A strawberry jam and peanut butter sandwich

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

First attested in the early 18th c. as a verb meaning “to press, be pressed, be wedged in”. Compare dialectal jammock (“to press, squeeze, crush into a soft mass, chew food"; also "a soft, pulpy substance”). Perhaps from Middle English chammen, champen ("to bite upon something, gnash the teeth"; whence modern champ, chomp), of uncertain origin; probably originally onomatopoeic.

Noun[edit]

jam (countable and uncountable, plural jams)

  1. (less common in the US) A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts.
    Synonyms: (US) conserve, jelly, preserve
  2. (countable) A difficult situation.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:difficult situation
    • 1928, Upton Sinclair, Boston:
      It's a blackmail ring, and the district attorneys get a share of the loot. […] Well, they got him in the same kind of jam, and soaked him to the tune of three hundred and eighty-six thousand.
    • 1975, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “Tangled Up in Blue”:
      She was married when we first met / Soon to be divorced / I helped her out of a jam, I guess / But I used a little too much force
    • 1977, David Byrne (lyrics and music), “Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town”, in Talking Heads: 77, performed by Talking Heads:
      Where, where is my common sense? / How did I get in a jam like this?
  3. (countable) A blockage, congestion, or immobilization.
    A traffic jam caused us to miss the game's first period.
    a jam of logs in a river
    • 2019 February 14, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.3.2.3 Elevator Design Standard for Ground Gust Loads”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Runway Overrun During Rejected Takeoff, Ameristar Air Cargo, Inc., dba Ameristar Charters, flight 9363, Boeing MD-83, N786TW, Ypsilanti, Michigan, March 8, 2017‎[1], archived from the original on 2 July 2022, page 12:
      According to Boeing, in the history of this elevator design (which exists on all Boeing DC-9/MD-80 series and 717 model airplanes), this accident was the first notification that Boeing had received of an elevator jam occurring on an airplane exposed to ground gusts lower than 65 kts. Boeing noted that the elevator design first entered service in 1965 on the then-Douglas DC-9 airplane.
  4. (countable, popular music) An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal.
  5. (countable, by extension, informal) A song; a track.
    • 2001, Jet, volume 100, number 22, page 25:
      The result is an outstanding assortment of sophisticated, sexy and hip-hop-tinged R&B grooves, ballads and party jams.
  6. (countable, by extension) An informal event where people brainstorm and collaborate on projects.
    We came up with some new ideas at the game jam.
    • 2017, Fred Patten, Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989-2015, page 92:
      […] a day at new Farm Park with an art jam, fursuit games, and a nerf war, ending in the evening at the strike Wintergarden bowling center.
  7. (countable, slang) That which one particularly prefers, desires, enjoys, or cares about.
    Teaching is my jam.
  8. (countable, baseball) A difficult situation for a pitcher or defending team.
    The pitcher's in a jam now, having walked the bases loaded with the cleanup hitter coming to bat.
  9. (countable, basketball) A forceful dunk.
  10. (countable, roller derby) A play during which points can be scored.
    Toughie scored four points in that jam.
  11. (climbing, countable) Any of several maneuvers requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space.
    I used a whole series of fist and foot jams in that crack.
  12. (Australia) The tree Acacia acuminata, with fruity-smelling hard timber.
    Synonyms: raspberry jam tree, stinking acacia
  13. (UK, slang) Luck.
    He's got more jam than Waitrose.
  14. (Canada, slang) balls, bollocks, courage, machismo
    I don't think he has the jam.
  15. (slang) Sexual relations or the contemplation of them.
Derived terms[edit]
terms derived from jam (noun)
climbing terms
Descendants[edit]
  • → Czech: džem
  • → Dutch: jam
  • → Estonian: džemm
  • → Japanese: ジャム (jamu)
  • → Korean: 잼 (jaem)
  • → Polish: dżem
  • → Russian: джем (džem)
  • → Serbo-Croatian: džȅm, џе̏м
  • → Slovak: džem
  • → Ukrainian: джем (džem)
Translations[edit]
See also[edit]

Verb[edit]

jam (third-person singular simple present jams, present participle jamming, simple past and past participle jammed)

  1. To get something stuck, often (though not necessarily) in a confined space.
    My foot got jammed in a gap between the rocks.
    Her poor little baby toe got jammed in the door.
    I jammed the top knuckle of my ring finger.
  2. To brusquely force something into a space; to cram, to squeeze.
    They temporarily stopped the gas tank leak by jamming a piece of taffy into the hole.
    The rush-hour train was jammed with commuters.
    • 1779, George Colman, Farewell Epilogue, spoken at Wynnstay after the representation of Cymbeline and The Spanish Barber, 22 January, 1779, in Prose on Several Occasions: Accompanied with Some Pieces in Verse, London: T. Cadel, 1787, Volume 3, p. 283,[2]
      Since the new post-horse tax, I dare engage
      That some folks here have travell’d in the Stage:
      Jamm’d in at midnight, in cold winter weather,
      The crouded passengers are glew’d together.
  3. To render something unable to move.
    • 2019 February 14, National Transportation Safety Board, “2.3.3 Elevator Load Testing”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Runway Overrun During Rejected Takeoff, Ameristar Air Cargo, Inc., dba Ameristar Charters, flight 9363, Boeing MD-83, N786TW, Ypsilanti, Michigan, March 8, 2017‎[3], archived from the original on 2 July 2022, page 56:
      Considering the results of the CFD wind simulation, the NTSB designed several series of static and dynamic elevator load tests to determine what conditions, consistent with the known circumstances of the accident, could enable the inboard actuating crank and links of the right elevator's geared tab to move beyond their normal range of travel and become locked in an overcenter position (and, as a result, jam the right elevator).
  4. To cause congestion or blockage. Often used with "up".
    A single accident can jam the roads for hours.
  5. To block or confuse a radio or radar signal by transmitting a more-powerful signal on the same frequency.
    The government jams foreign propaganda broadcasts.
    The airstrike suffered minimal casualties because electronic-warfare aircraft were jamming the enemy air-defense radars.
  7. (baseball) To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands.
    Jones was jammed by the pitch.
  8. (basketball) To dunk.
  10. (music) To play music (especially improvisation as a group, or an informal unrehearsed session).
  11. To injure a finger or toe by sudden compression of the digit's tip.
    When he tripped on the step he jammed his toe.
  12. (roller derby) To attempt to score points.
    Toughie jammed four times in the second period.
  13. (nautical, transitive) To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback.
    • (Can we date this quote?), William Clark Russell, The Golden Hope:
      It won't do to jam her,” answered Stone ;" but it might be worth findin' out if th' Hope won't lie closer than t' other can." Half a point ----"
  14. (Canada, informal) To give up on a date or some other joint endeavour; to stand up, chicken out, jam out.
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Persian or Hindi, meaning "garment, robe;" see جامه‎ (“garment”). Related to pajamas.

Noun[edit]

jam (plural jams)

  1. (dated) A kind of frock for children.

Etymology 3[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam (plural jams)

  1. (mining) Alternative form of jamb

References[edit]

See also[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Albanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Albanian *esmi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésmi (“I am, I exist”), identical with Ancient Greek εἰμί (eimí), Sanskrit अस्मि (ásmi), English am. Aorist qeshë from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to turn, revolve”), with a semantic development similar to Germanic *werþaną (“to become”), from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn”).[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

jam (first-person singular past tense qeshë, participle qenë)

  1. to be

Conjugation[edit]

Standard Albanian conjugation of jam (active voice)
participle — present and perfect
(pjesore — e tashme dhe e kryer) 		qenë
singular
(njëjës) 		plural
(shumës)
1st pers.
(veta e 1rë) 		2nd pers.
(veta e 2të) 		3rd pers.
(veta e 3të) 		1st pers.
(veta e 1rë) 		2nd pers.
(veta e 2të) 		3rd pers.
(veta e 3të)
indicative
(dëftore) 		unë ti ai/ajo ne ju ata/ato
present
(e tashme) 		jam je është, ë jemi jeni janë
imperfect
(e pakryer) 		isha ishe ishte, ish ishim ishit ishin
aorist (simple past)
(e kryer e thjeshtë) 		qeshë qe qe qemë qetë qenë
perfect
(e kryer) 		kam qenë ke qenë ka qenë kemi qenë keni qenë kanë qenë
past perfect
(më se e kryer) 		kisha qenë kishe qenë kishte qenë kishim qenë kishit qenë kishin qenë
aorist II (past perfect II)
(e kryer e tejshkuar) 		pata qenë pate qenë pati qenë patëm qenë patët qenë patën qenë
future¹
(e ardhme) 		do të jem do të jesh do të jetë do të jemi do të jeni do të jenë
future perfect²
(e ardhme e përparme) 		do të kem qenë do të kesh qenë do të ketë qenë do të kemi qenë do të keni qenë do të kenë qenë
subjunctive
(lidhore) 		unë ti ai/ajo ne ju ata/ato
present
(e tashme) 		të jem të jesh të jetë të jemi të jeni të jenë
imperfect
(e pakryer) 		të isha të ishe të ishte, të ish të ishim të ishit të ishin
perfect
(e kryer) 		të kem qenë të kesh qenë të ketë qenë të kemi qenë të keni qenë të kenë qenë
past perfect
(më se e kryer) 		të kisha qenë të kishe qenë të kishte qenë të kishim qenë të kishit qenë të kishin qenë
conditional¹, ²
(kushtore) 		unë ti ai/ajo ne ju ata/ato
imperfect
(e pakryer) 		do të isha do të ishe do të ishte, do të ish do të ishim do të ishit do të ishin
past perfect
(më se e kryer) 		do të kisha qenë do të kishe qenë do të kishte qenë do të kishim qenë do të kishit qenë do të kishin qenë
optative
(dëshirore) 		unë ti ai/ajo ne ju ata/ato
present
(e tashme) 		qofsha qofsh qoftë qofshim qofshit qofshin
perfect
(e kryer) 		paça qenë paç qenë pastë qenë paçim qenë paçit qenë paçin qenë
admirative
(habitore) 		unë ti ai/ajo ne ju ata/ato
present
(e tashme) 		qenkam qenke qenka qenkemi qenkeni qenkan
imperfect
(pakryer) 		qenkësha qenkëshe qenkësh qenkëshim qenkëshit qenkëshin
perfect
(e kryer) 		paskam qenë paske qenë paska qenë paskemi qenë paskeni qenë paskan qenë
past perfect
(më se e kryer) 		paskësha qenë paskëshe qenë paskësh qenë paskëshim qenë paskëshit qenë paskëshin qenë
imperative
(urdhërore) 		— ti — — ju —
present
(e tashme) 		— ji — — jini —
¹) indicative future identical with conditional present — ²) indicative future perfect identical with conditional perfect

References[edit]

  1. ^ Orel, Vladimir (1998) Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 156

Baba Malay[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Malay jam, from Sanskrit याम (yāma).

Noun[edit]

jam

  1. hour
  2. time

Further reading[edit]

Chinese[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From English jam.

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

jam

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to jam (to play music)
Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

jam

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, university slang) to steal; to take without asking
Synonyms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

  • 占 (zim1, zem1, “jam”)

Czech[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Portuguese inhame or Spanish iñame, both likely of West African origin.

Noun[edit]

jam m inan

  1. yam (any Dioscorea vine)

Declension[edit]

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English jam.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam m (plural jams, diminutive jammetje n)

  1. (chiefly Netherlands) jam (congealed sweet mixture of conserved fruits)

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • → Caribbean Javanese: sèm

Esperanto[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin iam.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adverb[edit]

jam

  1. already, prior to some time
    Ŝi jam nutris la bestojn. ― She already fed the animals.

Fula[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam o

  1. (Pulaar, Maasina) peace

References[edit]

Garo[edit]

Etymology[edit]

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun[edit]

jam

  1. granary, storehouse

Highland Popoluca[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam

  1. lime

References[edit]

  • Elson, Benjamin F.; Gutiérrez G., Donaciano (1999) Diccionario popoluca de la Sierra, Veracruz (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 41)‎[4] (in Spanish), Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., →ISBN, page 74

Indonesian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Malay jam, from Sanskrit याम (yāma, “time”).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): [ˈd͡ʒam]
  • Hyphenation: jam

Noun[edit]

jam (first-person possessive jamku, second-person possessive jammu, third-person possessive jamnya)

  1. hour (Time period of sixty minutes)
  2. clock (instrument to measure or keep track of time)
  3. (colloquial) time, particular moment or hour; the appropriate moment or hour for something
    Synonyms: pukul, saat, waktu

Derived terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Interlingua[edit]

Adverb[edit]

jam (not comparable)

  1. already

Javanese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Ultimately from Sanskrit याम (yāma)

Noun[edit]

jam

  1. hour
  2. clock

Latgalian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈjam/
  • Hyphenation: jam

Pronoun[edit]

jam

  1. dative singular of jis
    Es jam atsaceju par reizi. ― I replied to him right away.
    Jam daguoja laistīs paceli nu sātys. ― He had to leave his home.
    Vys jam nazkas natai. ― He's never satisfied. (literally, “It's never good enough for him.”)

References[edit]

  • Nicole Nau (2011) A short grammar of Latgalian, München: LINCOM GmbH, →ISBN, page 37

Latin[edit]

Adverb[edit]

jam (not comparable)

  1. Alternative form of iam

References[edit]

Lindu[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam

  1. time
  2. hour
  3. clock

Lithuanian[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

jam m

  1. (third-person singular) dative form of jis.
    • 2007, Jurga (Jurga Šeduikytė), Angelai
      Jo balti sparnai man tinka
      Jam savo šarvus dovanoju
      His white wings suit me
      I present to him my armor

Malay[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Sanskrit याम (yāma, “time”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam (Jawi spelling جم‎, plural jam-jam, informal 1st possessive jamku, 2nd possessive jammu, 3rd possessive jamnya)

  1. hour (Time period of sixty minutes)
  2. clock (instrument to measure or keep track of time)

Derived terms[edit]

Affixed terms and other derivations

Regular affixed derivations:

Descendants[edit]

Further reading[edit]

North Frisian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Frisian jī. Cognate with West Frisian jimme.

Pronoun[edit]

jam

  1. you (plural)
  2. your (plural)

Polish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /jam/
  • Rhymes: -am
  • Syllabification: jam

Noun[edit]

jam f

  1. genitive plural of jama

Pronoun[edit]

jam

  1. (informal, sometimes proscribed) Combined form of ja + -m

Further reading[edit]

  • jam in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Slovene[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam

  1. genitive dual/plural of jama

Spanish[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam m (plural jams or jam)

  1. jam (music session)

Swedish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam n

  1. meow (sound of a cat)
    Synonym: (more common) mjau

Declension[edit]

Declension of jam 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative jam jamet jam jamen
Genitive jams jamets jams jamens

Related terms[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Welsh[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English jam.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

jam m (plural jamiau, not mutable)

  1. jam
    Synonym: cyffaith

Further reading[edit]

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “jam”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

West Frisian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun[edit]

jam c (plural jams)

  1. jam, fruit preserves

Alternative forms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • “jam (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011
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