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Learn more English in a Minute
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(Clips: Getty)
Introduction
You might already know one meaning of 'jam' – it's the sweet fruit preserve that we love to spread on toast. But do you know these four other meanings? Get to know the word 'jam' with Becca!
4 meanings of 'jam'
favourite music
If you describe a song as 'your jam' it shows you enjoy that kind of music.
- I love this song – this is my jam.
- Dad, can you please change the music before we pick up my friends. This is definitely not our jam.
improvise musically
If you jam with someone, you play music together with them in an informal way.
- I usually jam with my housemate in the evenings. I play guitar and she plays bass.
- Can you give me a G major chord, and then a D minor? That's it – now we're jamming!
traffic blockage
A traffic jam is when the vehicles on a road have stopped moving, usually because it is too busy.
- Urgh, I'm going to be late. Maybe I should call my boss and tell them I'm stuck in a traffic jam.
- We had to use the side roads – there's a jam on the motorway.
block with something
If you jam something, you block it with something else. We can then describe it as jammed.
- Careful not to jam too much paper into the printer.
- This printer is jammed now – does anyone know how to fix it?
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Download a free transcript!
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TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Becca
I love having jam on my morning toast, but do you know these other meanings? A jam is a favourite song.
Example
I love this song – this is my jam.
Becca
We can use jam as a verb to talk about improvising music.
Example
I usually jam with my housemate in the evenings. I play guitar and she plays bass.
Becca
A traffic jam is a noun that means that there are too many cars on the road and no one's moving.
Example
Urgh, I'm going to be late. Maybe I should call my boss and tell them I'm stuck in a traffic jam.
Becca
In a similar way, it can be used a verb and an adjective to talk about putting too much of something somewhere.
Example
I think I jammed too much paper into the printer. It's jammed now!
Becca
Learn these four meanings of jam today!
Next
Learn more idiomatic language in The English We Speak.
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