Jam

Full definition of jam

(countable and uncountable; plural jams)

A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts.
(countable) A difficult situation.Iâ€™m in a jam right now. Can you help me out?

1975, Bob Dylan, Tangled Up in BlueShe was married when we first metSoon to be divorcedI helped her out of a jam, I guessBut I used a little too much force.

(countable) Blockage, congestion.A traffic jam caused us to miss the game's first period.a jam of logs in a river
(countable, popular music) An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal.
(countable, baseball) A difficult situation for a pitcher or defending team.He's in a jam now, having walked the bases loaded with the cleanup hitter coming to bat.
(countable, basketball) A forceful dunk.
(countable, roller derby) A play during which points can be scored.Toughie scored four points in that jam.
(countable) Any of several rock-climbing maneuvers requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space.I used a whole series of fist and foot jams in that crack.
(UK) luck.He's got more jam than Waitrose.
(mining) Alternative form of jamb

To get something stuck in a confined space.My foot got jammed in a gap between the rocks.
To brusquely force something into a space; cram, 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.
To cause congestion or blockage. Often used with "up"A single accident can jam the roads for hours.
To block or confuse a broadcast signal.
(baseball) To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands.Jones was jammed by the pitch.
(music) To play music (especially improvisation as a group, or an informal unrehearsed session).
To injure a finger or toe by sudden compression of the digit's tip.When he tripped on the step he jammed his toe.
(roller derby) To attempt to score points.Toughie jammed four times in the second period.
(nautical) To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback.

Persian or Hindi, meaning "garment, robe"; related to pajamas.

(plural jams)