jam

name

1. Abbreviation of Jamaica.

noun

Etymology: Initialism, from just about managing.

1. 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.”

   “Although most of the income for JAM families comes from work, it is, in many cases, topped up by welfare support.”

verb

Etymology: 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. The "performance" sense is first attested with regards to jazz in 1929, and its origin, though uncertain, is likely metaphorical, "something sweet made by the combination of many things", with influence from jamboree.

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.”

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.”

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 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.”

6. To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands.

   “Jones was jammed by the pitch.”

7. To dunk.
8. To play music (especially improvisation as a group, or an informal unrehearsed session).
9. To injure a finger or toe by sudden compression of the digit's tip.

   “When he tripped on the step he jammed his toe.”

10. To attempt to score points.

    “Toughie jammed four times in the second period.”

11. 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 ----"”

12. To give up on a date or some other joint endeavour; to stand up, chicken out, jam out.
13. To be of high quality (especially for music).

    “I love this song! This song jams!”