v. & n.
v.tr. & intr. (jammed, jamming) 1 a tr. (usu. foll. by into) squeeze or wedge into a space. b intr. become wedged. 2 a tr. cause (machinery or a component) to become wedged or immovable so that it cannot work. b intr. become jammed in this way. 3 tr. push or cram together in a compact mass. 4 intr. (foll. by in, on to) push or crowd (they jammed on to the bus). 5 tr. a block (a passage, road, etc.) by crowding or obstructing. b (foll. by in) obstruct the exit of (we were jammed in). 6 tr. (usu. foll. by on) apply (brakes etc.) forcefully or abruptly. 7 tr. make (a radio transmission) unintelligible by causing interference. 8 colloq. (in jazz etc.) extemporize with other musicians.
n. 1 a squeeze or crush. 2 a crowded mass (traffic jam). 3 colloq. an awkward situation or predicament. 4 a stoppage (of a machine etc.) due to jamming. 5 (in full jam session) colloq. improvised playing by a group of jazz musicians. jam-packed colloq. full to capacity. jammer n.
[ imit. ]