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jamb

noun
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\ ˈjam How to pronounce jamb (audio) \

Definition of jamb

1 : an upright piece or surface forming the side of an opening (as for a door, window, or fireplace)
2 : a projecting columnar part or mass

Examples of jamb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web According to multiple accounts, one prisoner held it to a cell door jamb and another slammed the door, breaking it into cooking sized chunks. — Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, "Inside the Most Secret Place at Guantánamo Bay," 14 Mar. 2020 One company showed off a portable door jamb, meant to stop an attacker from entering a room. — Allie Morris, Dallas News, "God and a Glock: Texas churchgoers are training to fight off attackers wielding guns," 7 Feb. 2020 Repeat to trim the remaining casings and side jambs. — Joesph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "8 Steps for Installing Laminate Flooring," 8 Dec. 2019 Then Nucera allegedly grabbed the teenager’s head and slammed it into the door jamb, although the teen had not been struggling, according to the complaint. — Marisa Iati, Washington Post, "Chief accused of slamming black teen’s head into door: Trump is ‘last hope for white people’," 28 Sep. 2019 Next, buy a second sash lock and install it 8 inches in from the opposite side jamb. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Winterize Drafty Windows," 13 Sep. 2019 Next, buy a second sash lock and install it 8 inches in from the opposite side jamb. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Winterize Drafty Windows," 13 Sep. 2019 The doors, swollen by the heat, stick in their jambs. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Can’t stand the heat? Too bad. Summer in Washington is stupid hot these days.," 21 July 2019 At least one bullet had hit the door jamb and another pierced the wall of their apartment mere feet from where their children were sitting on the sofa playing video games, the couple said. — Washington Post, "Balloons and bloodstains: Police still investigating shooting at toddler’s birthday party that left seven wounded," 26 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jamb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of jamb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for jamb

Middle English jambe, borrowed from Anglo-French jambe, gaunbe "side post of a door or window," literally, "leg," going back to Late Latin gamba, camba "hock or upper leg of a horse," borrowed from Greek kampḗ "bend, flexion of a limb," probably going back to a European substratal base *kamp-, whence also perhaps Lithuanian kam̃pas "corner, hidden place," Latvian kampis "curved piece of wood, kettle hook," Gothic hamfs "maimed"

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Time Traveler for jamb

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The first known use of jamb was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Jamb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jamb. Accessed 8 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for jamb

jamb

noun
How to pronounce jamb (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of jamb

: a board that forms the side of a door or window

See the full definition for jamb in the English Language Learners Dictionary

jamb

noun
\ ˈjam How to pronounce jamb (audio) \

Kids Definition of jamb

: a vertical piece forming the side of an opening (as for a doorway)

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More from Merriam-Webster on jamb

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with jamb

Spanish Central: Translation of jamb

Nglish: Translation of jamb for Spanish Speakers

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