Quick, straight punches or pokes with a pointed object; medical injections, especially vaccines.
Possibly from Scottish 'jab' or Dutch 'jabben,' meaning 'to poke.' The word became especially common in medical contexts when vaccination and injectable medicines became widespread.
In boxing, the jab is the fastest punch a boxer can throw, and it's used to keep opponents away and set up harder punches—it's called 'the thinking punch' because it requires timing and strategy, not just strength.
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