Jam /(jăm)/

1. A kind of frock for children.

1. See Jamb. (Mining)

imp. & p. p. Jammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Jamming

1. To press into a close or tight position; to crowd; to squeeze; to wedge in; to cram; as, rock fans jammed the theater for the concert.

   The ship . . . jammed in between two rocks.

2. To crush or bruise; as, to jam a finger in the crack of a door. [Colloq.]
3. To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback. (Naut.)
4. To block or obstruct by packing too much (people or objects) into; as, shoppers jammed the aisles during the fire sale.
5. To interfere with (a radio signal) by sending other signals of the same or nearby frequency; as, the Soviets jammed Radio Free Europe broadcasts for years during the cold war. (Radio)
6. To cause to become nonfunctional by putting something in that blocks the movement of a part or parts; as, he jammed the drawer by putting in too many loose papers; he jammed the lock by trying to pick it.

1. To become stuck so as not to function; as, the copier jammed again.
2. To play an instrument in a jam session. (Music)
3. To crowd together; -- usually used with together or in; as, fifty people jammed into a conference room designed for twenty.

1. A mass of people or objects crowded together; also, the pressure from a crowd; a crush; as, a jam in a street; a jam of logs in a river.
2. An injury caused by jamming. [Colloq.]
3. A difficult situation; as, he got himself into a jam. [informal]

1. A preserve of fruit boiled with sugar and water; also called jelly; as, raspberry jam; currant jam; grape jam.