• Jar

    Pronunciation

    Origin 1

    From French jarre, from Arabic جره (jarrah, "earthern receptacle").

    Full definition of jar

    Noun

    jar

    (plural jars)
    1. A small, approximately cylindrical container, normally made of glass or clay, for holding fruit, preserves, etc., or for ornamental purposes.

    Synonyms

    Origin 2

    Unknown; perhaps imitative.

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To knock or strike sharply.He hit it with a hammer, hoping he could jar it loose.
    2. (transitive) To shock or surprise.I think the accident jarred him, as he hasn't gotten back in a car since.
    3. (of the form, style, appearance, etc. of people and things) To look strangely different; to stand out awkwardly from its surroundings; to be incongruent.
    4. To give forth a rudely quivering or tremulous sound; to sound harshly or discordantly.The notes jarred on my ears.
      • Shakespeare:When such strings jar, what hope of harmony?
      • Roscommon:A string may jar in the best master's hand.
    5. To act in opposition or disagreement; to clash; to interfere; to quarrel; to dispute.
      • Spenser:When those renowned noble peers Greece
        Through stubborn pride among themselves did jar.
      • Milton:For orders and degrees
        Jar not with liberty, but well consist.

    Noun

    jar

    (plural jars)
    1. A shake.
    2. A sense of alarm or dismay.
    3. (now rare) Discord, contention; quarrelling.
      • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.ii:He maketh warre, he maketh peace againe,
        And yet his peace is but continuall iarre ....
      • 1612, John Smith, Proceedings, in Kupperman 1988, page 122:To redresse those jarres and ill proceedings, the Councell in England altered the governement and devolved the authoritie to the Lord De-la-ware.

    Synonyms

    • (knock sharply) jolt

    Derived terms

    Anagrams

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