# jam

Pronunciation: say "JAM" /ˈd͡ʒæm/

## Noun

1. A sweet spread made by boiling fruit with sugar until it sets, commonly used on bread or toast or in tarts.
   - Simple: A sweet food made from fruit boiled with sugar until thick, often spread on bread.
   - _The recipe calls for a thick layer of apricot jam between the cake layers._
   - _Grandma boils plums every fall to make jam for the winter._
2. A crush or blockage in which movement is slowed or stopped, as when traffic, a crowd or machinery gets stuck.
   - Simple: A point where people or things get stuck and can hardly move, like cars on a busy road.
   - _A jam in the conveyor belt brought the whole factory line to a halt._
   - _Commuters sat in a three-hour jam after the bridge closed._
5. An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal where musicians play together without much planning.
   - Simple: A relaxed, unplanned music session where people play together for fun.
   - _The late-night jam drew musicians from three different bands._
   - _What started as a casual jam turned into a two-hour set._
7. A difficult or troublesome situation, especially one that is hard to escape.
   - Simple: A difficult or awkward situation that is hard to get out of.
   - _Missing the last train left us in a serious jam._
   - _She got into a financial jam after losing her job._
8. A song or track, especially one regarded as enjoyable or catchy. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A song or recorded track, especially a really good one.
   - _That track is a serious jam, so turn it up._
   - _The DJ dropped one classic jam after another._
12. A thing that a person particularly prefers, desires, enjoys, or cares about. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A thing that someone really likes or enjoys a lot.
   - _That old soul record is her jam._
   - _Long hikes through the woods are really his jam._
11. An informal event at which people gather to brainstorm and collaborate on projects.
   - Simple: A casual event where people get together to brainstorm and work on projects.
   - _The studio runs a creative jam every spring to test fresh concepts._
   - _Volunteers at the weekend jam had built a working prototype by Sunday._
16. A forceful dunk, in which a player drives the ball down through the basket with power.
   - Simple: A powerful basketball shot where a player slams the ball down through the hoop.
   - _The rookie's thunderous jam was the highlight of the game._
   - _He rose above two defenders for a powerful jam._
17. Something pleasant, easy, or lucky; good fortune. *(slang, UK)*
   - Simple: Something nice, easy, or lucky that happens to you.
   - _The ball bounced off his knee and into the net, and even his own teammates called it a bit of jam._
   - _Winning the raffle twice in a row was nothing but jam._
19. A climbing maneuver in which a hand, foot, or finger is wedged into a narrow crack to gain a hold.
   - Simple: A climbing move where you wedge a hand, foot, or finger into a crack to hold on.
   - _A solid finger jam was the only way past the smooth section._
   - _He set a fist jam deep in the crack and pulled himself up._

## Verb

3. To forcefully push something into a space; to cram or squeeze it in.
   - Simple: To push something hard into a tight space, cramming or squeezing it in.
   - _Don't jam so many files into one folder._
   - _They jammed twelve people into a car built for five._
4. To become caught or stuck, often within a confined space, so that movement stops.
   - Simple: To become stuck so that something cannot move, especially in a tight space.
   - _Cheap zippers tend to jam halfway up._
   - _The rifle jammed after firing only three rounds._
6. To play music informally with others, especially by improvising together without rehearsal.
   - Simple: To play music with others in a relaxed, unplanned way, often making it up as you go.
   - _Old friends still jam together whenever the band reunites._
   - _The guitarist jammed with strangers at the open mic._
9. To block something or make it stuck so that it cannot move or work, often 'jam up'.
   - Simple: To block something or make it stuck so it cannot move or work properly.
   - _Heavy downloads can jam up the entire network._
   - _Fallen branches jammed the river and flooded the fields._
10. To interfere deliberately with radio or radar signals, usually by transmitting noise or a stronger signal on the same frequency, so that they cannot be received or read correctly.
   - Simple: To block or confuse radio or radar signals on purpose, usually by sending out a stronger signal on the same channel.
   - _Operators can jam enemy radar by flooding the frequency with noise._
   - _The station jammed foreign broadcasts throughout the war._
13. To injure a finger or toe by catching it in something that closes on it, or by a hard blow to its tip.
   - Simple: To hurt a finger or toe by catching it in something, like a door, or hitting its tip hard.
   - _She jammed her finger badly when the door slammed shut._
   - _Basketball players often jam their fingers catching hard passes._
14. To be of high quality; to be excellent. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To be really good or of high quality.
   - _The band's latest songs absolutely jam._
   - _This guitar solo really jams._
15. To dunk a basketball, driving it down through the rim with force.
   - Simple: To slam a basketball down through the hoop with force.
   - _Tall guards who can jam in traffic are hard to defend._
   - _He jammed the ball so hard the backboard shook._
18. In baseball, to pitch the ball in tight on the batter, at or close to the hands.
   - Simple: To throw a baseball pitch close to the batter's hands.
   - _The veteran jammed the slugger with a fastball on the fists._
   - _Pitchers often jam left-handed hitters to avoid solid contact._

## Other meanings

- (noun) Sexual relations, or the thought of them.
- (noun) In roller derby, a play during which points can be scored.
- (verb) In roller derby, to attempt to score points.
- (verb) To give up on a date or other joint plan; to stand someone up or chicken out.
- (noun) Courage, nerve, or machismo.
- (noun) The Australian tree Acacia acuminata, valued for its hard, fruity-smelling timber.
- (verb) To steer a ship up into the wind until the wind catches half of her upper sails aback.
- (noun) A loose dress or smock worn by young children.

## Origin

First attested in the early 18th century as a verb meaning "to press, be pressed, or be wedged in," and compared to the dialectal jammock ("to press, squeeze, crush into a soft mass"). It is perhaps from Middle English chammen or champen ("to bite, gnash the teeth"), of uncertain origin and probably originally onomatopoeic. The "performance" sense first appears in jazz in 1929, likely a metaphor for "something sweet made by combining many things," influenced by jamboree.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/jam (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).