jam

noun jams

1. countable, uncommon, uncountable, 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 He is allergic to jam.

   Similar: conserve, jelly, preserve

2. countable A difficult situation. 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.

   Similar: ass in a sling, bind, bucket of syrup, calvary, cauldron, cross, cross to bear, difficulty, dilemma, dire straits, doghouse, fix

3. countable 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.

   Similar: ass in a sling, bind, bucket of syrup, calvary, cauldron, cross, cross to bear, difficulty, dilemma, dire straits, doghouse, fix

4. countable A blockage, congestion, or immobilization. a jam on the 101 South, blocking the two right lanes [radio report]

   Similar: jam-up

5. common, countable An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal.
6. broadly, countable, informal A song; a track. pump up the jam
7. broadly, countable An informal event where people brainstorm and collaborate on projects. We came up with some new ideas at the game jam.
8. countable, slang That which one particularly prefers, desires, enjoys, or cares about. Teaching is my jam.

   Similar: cup of tea, affinity, bag, bent, love, cup of coffee, cup of joe, dish, fancy, jam, liking, partiality

9. countable A forceful dunk.
10. countable A play during which points can be scored. Toughie scored four points in that jam.
11. countable Any of several manoeuvres requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space. I used a whole series of fist and foot jams in that crack.
12. Australia, countable, uncountable The tree Acacia acuminata, with fruity-smelling hard timber.

    Similar: raspberry jam tree, stinking acacia

13. UK, countable, slang, uncountable Luck. He's got more jam than Waitrose.
14. Canada, countable, slang, uncountable Balls, bollocks, courage, machismo. I don't think he has the jam.
15. countable, slang, uncountable Sexual relations or the contemplation of them.
16. countable, slang, uncountable Something enjoyable; a delightful situation or outcome. ’Tis fine to be a pretty girl, or just a gay and witty girl, And obviously to be both is rightly counted jam, But even more desirable, and clearly less acquirable, Is that mysterious quality denominated glam.

verb jams · jamming · jammed

1. To get something stuck, often (though not necessarily) in a confined space. My foot got jammed in a gap between the rocks.
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.
3. To render something unable to move. 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
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.
6. To turn (fruit) into jam.
7. To add jam to; to cover with jam. ‘Just look at me. All jammed and dripping in a public street.’
8. To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands. Jones was jammed by the pitch.
9. To dunk.
10. 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. To attempt to score points. Toughie jammed four times in the second period.
13. transitive To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback. 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.
15. colloquial To be of high quality (especially for music). I love this song! This song jams!

Similar: ram

noun jams · jama

1. dated A kind of frock for children.

noun jams

1. alternative Alternative form of jamb

noun JAMs

1. UK, informal A household that is only barely able to meet its financial obligations. Well, technically, a Jam is a working-class Brexit voter who feels alienated by the creeping march of globalisation.

proper noun

1. abbreviation Abbreviation of Jamaica