jail|bird /dʒe I lbɜː r d/ (jailbirds ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a jailbird , you mean that they are in prison, or have been in prison. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED ]
jail|break /dʒe I lbre I k/ (jailbreaks ) N‑COUNT A jailbreak is an escape from jail.
jail|er /dʒe I lə r / (jailers ) in BRIT, also use gaoler N‑COUNT A jailer is a person who is in charge of a jail and the prisoners in it. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
jail|house /dʒe I lhaʊs/ (jailhouses ) N‑COUNT A jailhouse is a small prison. [AM ]
jala|peño /hæləpe I njoʊ/ (jalapeños ) N‑COUNT Jalapeños are small hot peppers which can be green or red when they are ripe. They are often used in Mexican cooking.
jam /dʒæ m/ (jams , jamming , jammed )
1 N‑VAR Jam is a thick sweet food that is made by cooking fruit with a large amount of sugar, and that is usually spread on bread. [mainly BRIT ] □ …home-made jam. in AM, usually use jelly 2 VERB If you jam something somewhere, you push or put it there roughly. □ [V n prep] He picked his cap up off the ground and jammed it on his head. □ [V n prep] Pete jammed his hands into his pockets.
3 VERB If something such as a part of a machine jams , or if something jams it, the part becomes fixed in position and is unable to move freely or work properly. □ [V ] The second time he fired his gun jammed. □ [V n] A rope jammed the boat's propeller. □ [V adj] Cracks appeared in the wall and a door jammed shut. □ [be V -ed] The intake valve was jammed open. □ [V -ed] Every few minutes the motor cut out as the machinery became jammed. [Also V n adj]
4 VERB If vehicles jam a road, there are so many of them that they cannot move. □ [V n] Hundreds of departing motorists jammed the roads. ● N‑COUNT Jam is also a noun. □ [+ for ] Trucks sat in a jam for ten hours waiting to cross the bridge. ● jammed ADJ □ [+ with ] Nearby roads and the dirt track to the beach were jammed with cars.
5 VERB If a lot of people jam a place, or jam into a place, they are pressed tightly together so that they can hardly move. □ [V n] Hundreds of people jammed the boardwalk to watch. □ [V + into ] They jammed into buses provided by the Red Cross and headed for safety. ● jammed ADJ □ The stadium was jammed and they had to turn away hundreds of disappointed fans.
6 VERB To jam a radio or electronic signal means to interfere with it and prevent it from being received or heard clearly. □ [V n] They will try to jam the transmissions electronically. ● jam|ming N‑UNCOUNT □ The plane is used for electronic jamming and radar detection.
7 VERB If callers are jamming phone lines, there are so many callers that the people answering the phones find it difficult to deal with them all. □ [V n] Hundreds of callers jammed the BBC switchboard for more than an hour.
8 VERB When jazz or rock musicians are jamming , they are informally playing music that has not been written down or planned in advance. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] He was jamming with his saxophone. ● N‑COUNT Jam is also a noun. □ …a jam session.
9 → see also traffic jam
Ja|mai|can /dʒəme I kən/ (Jamaicans )
1 ADJ Jamaican means belonging or relating to Jamaica or to its people or culture.
2 N‑COUNT A Jamaican is a person who comes from Jamaica.
jamb /dʒæ m/ (jambs ) N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A jamb is a post that forms the side part or upright of a door frame or window frame.
jam|bo|ree /dʒæ mbəriː / (jamborees ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A jamboree is a party, celebration, or other gathering where there is a large number of people and a lot of excitement, fun, and enjoyment.
jam|my /dʒæ mi/ (jammier , jammiest ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as jammy , you mean that they are very lucky because something good has happened to them, without their making much effort or deserving such luck. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
ja m-pa cked ADJ If somewhere is jam-packed , it is so full of people or things that there is no room for any more. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ with ] His room was jam-packed with fruit, flowers, gifts etc.
Jan. Jan. is a written abbreviation for January .
jan|gle /dʒæ ŋg ə l/ (jangles , jangling , jangled )
1 VERB When objects strike against each other and make an unpleasant ringing noise, you can say that they jangle or are jangled . □ [V ] Her bead necklaces and bracelets jangled as she walked. □ [V n] Jane took out her keys and jangled them.
2 VERB If your nerves are jangling or if something jangles them, you are very anxious. □ [V ] Behind that quietness his nerves are jangling, he's in a terrible state. □ [V n] The caffeine in coffee can jangle the nerves.
jani|tor /dʒæ n I tə r / (janitors ) N‑COUNT A janitor is a person whose job is to look after a building. [mainly AM ]
Janu|ary /dʒæ njəri, [AM ] -jueri/ (Januaries ) N‑VAR January is the first month of the year in the Western calendar. □ We always have snow in January. □ She was born on January 6, 1946.
Japa|nese /dʒæ pəniː z/ (Japanese )
1 ADJ Japanese means belonging or relating to Japan, or to its people, language, or culture.
2 N‑PLURAL The Japanese are the people of Japan.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Japanese is the language spoken in Japan.