n. a problem; trouble. : I hear you're in a bad jam.
in. [for musicians] to play together, improvising. : They jammed until the neighbors complained.
tv. & in. to force a basketball into the basket; to slam dunka basketball. : He tried to jam it, but blew it.
n. an act of forcing a basketball into the basket; a slam dunk. : The jam didn't work, and Fred's team rebounded the ball.
in. to depart. : It's time to jam. Let's go.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History
jam (n.)
"fruit preserve," 1730s, probably a special use of jam (v.) with a sense of "crush fruit into a preserve."