Jammed

/dʒæmd/ adjective, verb (past tense)

Definition

Stuck or blocked so tightly that something cannot move or function; past tense of 'jam,' meaning to push or squeeze forcefully into a tight space.

Etymology

From the verb 'jam' which entered English around 1710, possibly from imitative origins (the sound of something jamming), or perhaps from French 'jambe' meaning leg.

Kelly Says

The word 'jammed' perfectly captures both a physical state and an emotional one—you can have a jammed door OR be 'jammed up' with stress, showing how one word can express multiple types of blockage.

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