/ dʒɑː(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a round glass container, with a lid, used for storing food, especially jam, honey , etc. :
a storage jar
—see also jam jar
2.
[ C ] a jar and what it contains :
a jar of coffee
3.
[ C ] a tall container with a wide mouth, with or without handles, used in the past for carrying water, etc. :
a water jar
—see also bell jar
4.
[ C ] ( BrE , informal ) a glass of beer :
Do you fancy a jar after work?
5.
[ sing. ] an unpleasant shock, especially from two things being suddenly shaken or hit :
The fall gave him a nasty jar.
■ verb ( -rr- )
1.
jar (sth) (on sth) to give or receive a sudden sharp painful knock :
[ vn ]
The jolt seemed to jar every bone in her body.
[ v ]
The spade jarred on something metal.
2.
jar (on sth) to have an unpleasant or annoying effect
SYN grate :
[ v ]
His constant moaning was beginning to jar on her nerves.
There was a jarring note of triumph in his voice.
[also vn ]
3.
[ v ] jar (with sth) to be different from sth in a strange or unpleasant way
SYN clash :
Her brown shoes jarred with the rest of the outfit.
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 4 late 16th cent.: from French jarre , from Arabic jarra .
verb and noun sense 5 late 15th cent. (as a noun in the sense disagreement, dispute ): probably imitative.