Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To poke or thrust abruptly.
  • intransitive verb To stab or pierce.
  • intransitive verb To punch (someone) with short straight blows.
  • intransitive verb To make an abrupt poking or thrusting motion.
  • intransitive verb To deliver a short straight punch.
  • noun A quick stab or blow.
  • noun Sports A short straight punch in boxing.
  • noun Informal A hypodermic injection.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To strike with the end or point of something; thrust the end of something against or into; poke.
  • To strike with the end or point of; thrust: as, to jab a stick against a person; to jab a cane into or through a picture.
  • noun A stroke with the point or end of something; a thrust.
  • noun Nautical, a net used in catching the fry of fish.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb Scot. & Colloq. U. S. To thrust; to stab; to punch. See job, v. t.
  • noun Scot. & Colloq. U. S. A thrust or stab.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A quick stab or blow
  • noun boxing A short straight punch.
  • noun UK A medical injection.
  • noun US, figuratively A verbal annoyance.
  • verb To poke or thrust abruptly, or to make such a motion.
  • verb To deliver a quick punch.
  • verb slang, UK To give someone an injection

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb poke or thrust abruptly
  • noun a quick short straight punch
  • noun the act of touching someone suddenly with your finger or elbow
  • verb stab or pierce
  • verb strike or punch with quick and short blows
  • noun a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Variant of job.]

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Examples

  • McMaster's jab is notable because the rest of the Republican candidates for governor – not wanting to be weighed down by the Sanford saga - have so far tread lightly when handling questions about the governor.

    SC Republican gov candidate jabs Sanford in announcement 2009

  • Besides the mandatory record label jab, all of Black Thought's punches are directed at himself, being a better man, seeking a stronger deity.

    Derek Beres: Global Beat Fusion: How the Roots Got Over 2010

  • I am disappointed to see that negativity upheld by Non Sequitur, but I have to admit that jab is well deserved by the slobs who use the anonymity and remoteness of the field to conduct themselves poorly.

    See Us in the Funny Pages 2008

  • One problem with the jab is that in some Heartland cities – whose values Jamie is supposed to stand for – Ann Taylor stores are the most stylish in town.

    2007 June 26 « One-Minute Book Reviews 2007

  • One problem with the jab is that in some Heartland cities – whose values Jamie is supposed to stand for – Ann Taylor stores are the most stylish in town.

    2007 June « One-Minute Book Reviews 2007

  • A friendly political jab is a small price to pay to avoid a ticket.

    Sound Politics: A Seattle story 2007

  • Moore's parting jab is that Goss granted the interview with Moore's producers without bothering to check who they were working for.

    08/12/2004 2004

  • But the Elián jab is more like a haymaker, replicating Alan Diaz's famous Associated Press photo of the closet invasion, with Yogi and BooBoo in the starring roles.

    Boing Boing: May 25, 2003 - May 31, 2003 Archives 2003

  • I must say, though, that Americans typically manage pronunciation of "un-Englished" words better than Australians do - and much better than most British speakers, many of whom will say "Poonjab" with a second syllable like the English word "jab", not with the more correct "jahb".

    languagehat.com: BOLLYWOOD LANGUAGE. 2004

  • Other infections which the injections guard against are MMR and the controversial cervical cancer jab, which is for girls only.

    Landmark U.S. Study: Delaying Child’s Vaccinations May Do Harm | Impact Lab 2010

Comments

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  • JM has been to the acupuncturist – that’s a jab well done.

    May 25, 2011