Jam meaning in English
Learn how to use Jam correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
to jam (a coin into a machine): to block, to obstruct; to force, to push; to stick, to be unable to move (money in a machine)
Horatio accidentally jammed his finger in the door. He shut the door on his finger!
The radio signal was jammed by the enemy. The enemy stopped them from receiving the radio signals.
(toast with) jam: a fruit conserve, preserve (often eaten on grilled bread)
to jam (music): to improvise (music), to play music informally in a group
to jam is often used in the context of music. It can also mean "to improvise (a piece of music, a solo)".
Luna loves jamming with her friends. They often get together and play music informally.
Here are some idiomatic expressions with the word jam:
a traffic-jam a large number of vehicles unable to move or moving very slowly
to be in a jam to have a problem, to be in a difficult situation
jam-packed full of people, crowded with people
to be in a jam to have a problem, to be in a difficult situation
jam-packed full of people, crowded with people
Examples
- "Icarus : Jam inside?"
- "Apparently there is jam inside."
- "No, no, no the paper is "jammed"."
- "We did see a guy first thing this morning who had a meat skewer jammed through his forearm. He said his ex-wife did it after she found out he lost his job."
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks below with terms used in the conversation you just heard.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper , which prevents you from printing normally.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper , which prevents you from printing normally.
Fill in the blanks below with terms used in the conversation you just heard.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was stuck 1 on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper jam 2, which prevents you from printing normally.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was stuck 1 on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper jam 2, which prevents you from printing normally.
1 stuck: To be "stuck" somewhere is to be lodged or blocked there with no possibility of movement. An elevator which is "stuck" has stopped moving between floors. Note that the term can be used figuratively as well: I have no idea how to answer this problem: I'm stuck. Note that "jammed" cannot be used here.
2 jam: A "paper jam" describes a situation where paper is stuck or lodged in a printer). "Jam" is used here in the same sense as a "blockage" or "bottle neck". Note that as a noun, "a jam" can also refer to fruit preserves or marmalade (strawberry or raspberry jam for example) which is often eaten on toast. Jean mistakenly suggests that there is "jam" (in the sense of marmalade) in Icarus' printer. Icarus then corrects him, saying that the printer is "jammed".
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks below with terms used in the conversation you just heard.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper , which prevents you from printing normally.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper , which prevents you from printing normally.
Fill in the blanks below with terms used in the conversation you just heard.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was stuck 1 on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper jam 2, which prevents you from printing normally.
These two terms describe an object which is pressed, squeezed, or wedged in a position which makes it difficult to remove or extract. Although the terms can express the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Be careful!
When my car broke down this morning, I was stuck 1 on the freeway for hours.
A very common problem for printers is a paper jam 2, which prevents you from printing normally.
1 stuck: To be "stuck" somewhere is to be lodged or blocked there with no possibility of movement. An elevator which is "stuck" has stopped moving between floors. Note that the term can be used figuratively as well: I have no idea how to answer this problem: I'm stuck. Note that "jammed" cannot be used here.
2 jam: A "paper jam" describes a situation where paper is stuck or lodged in a printer). "Jam" is used here in the same sense as a "blockage" or "bottle neck". Note that as a noun, "a jam" can also refer to fruit preserves or marmalade (strawberry or raspberry jam for example) which is often eaten on toast. Jean mistakenly suggests that there is "jam" (in the sense of marmalade) in Icarus' printer. Icarus then corrects him, saying that the printer is "jammed".
Exercise 3
At the start of this conversation, Edward has just:
At the start of this conversation, Edward has just:
This is the best choice here. At the start of the dialogue, Edward has just 'handled a paper jam'. To 'handle' means 'to deal with', 'to fix', or 'to resolve', and a 'paper jam' is the problem of sheets of paper getting stuck in a machine. Photocopiers, printers, and fax machines can all experience 'paper jams', and they're very annoying! We also talk about 'traffic jams', when lots of vehicles get stuck in a line and can't move forwards.
This isn't the best choice here. At the end of the dialogue, Edward starts to try 'booking' or 'reserving' a hotel room. However, Sandra stops him before he actually does so.
This isn't the best choice here. In fact, it is SANDRA who has just left a meeting with Bruno Delavigne. She says 'I just had a meeting with Mr Delavigne'.
This isn't the best choice here. 'Jam' (UK) and 'jelly' (US) are sweet spreads often eaten on toast. However, Edward doesn't mention either of them in this dialogue!
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