jab - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Clipping of English Jaba.

jab

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Hyam.

Originally a Scottish (unclear if Scots or Scottish English) form of English job (“peck, poke, thrust”), from Middle English jobben.

jab (plural jabs)

  1. A quick stab or blow; a poking or thrusting motion.
  2. (boxing) A short straight punch.
    • 2011 December 18, Ben Dirs, “Carl Froch outclassed by dazzling Andre Ward”, in BBC Sport‎[1], archived from the original on 10 April 2022:
      American Ward was too quick and too slick for his British rival, landing at will with razor sharp jabs and hooks and even bullying Froch at times.
  3. (British) A medical hypodermic injection (vaccination or inoculation).
    Our dog was exposed to rabies, so the whole family went to a clinic to get our jabs.
  4. (British, Australia, New Zealand, sometimes Philippines) A vaccination, whether or not delivered by means of a conventional injection.
    • 2017 June 28, Michelle Roberts, “Painless flu jab patch for people scared of injections”, in BBC News‎[2], archived from the original on 3 August 2021:
      A 'painless' sticking plaster flu jab that delivers vaccine into the skin has passed important safety tests in the first trial in people.
  5. (US, figurative) A mild verbal insult.

quick stab

(boxing) a short straight punch

medical injection

a verbal annoyance

jab (third-person singular simple present jabs, present participle jabbing, simple past and past participle jabbed)

  1. To poke or thrust abruptly, or to make such a motion.
    Synonyms: job, stick; see also Thesaurus:stab
    • 1991, Etienne, “In Enemy Hands”, in Drummer‎[3], number 151, archived from the original on 6 February 2026, page 32:
      A barely audible groan welled up in the Captain's throat as the grinning Freedom Fighter circled around behind the helpless American Soldier. The groan sputtered into a strangled, "No… no… don't.... " as Randall felt the juicy tip of the man's tumescent cock jab against his hair-ringed, virgin asshole.
  2. To deliver a quick punch.
  3. (slang, UK) To give someone an injection.
  4. (slang) To vaccinate or inoculate someone.
  5. To make fun of, to mock.
    • 2007, Joel A. Johnson, Beyond Practical Virtue: A Defense of Liberal Democracy Through Literature‎[4], University of Missouri Press, →ISBN:
      While the book's lasting appeal is remarkable, the work is worth little scholarly attention insofar as Twain is merely jabbing at a long-dead set of social practices.

to poke or thrust abruptly

to deliver a quick punch

(slang) to give someone an injection

Borrowed from English job.

jab m (genitive singular **jab, nominative plural jabanna)

  1. job, piece of work
  2. post, employment

Borrowed from English jab.

jab m (invariable)

  1. jab (boxing punch)

jab

  1. full of, fully

jab

  1. not ... the

jab

  1. direction

Cognate with Baiso eebano, Jiiddu jhow (“piece”), Daasanach 'geb, Oromo cabsuu, Konso qebsi.

jab (transitive jebi, verbal noun qayb, causative jabi, passive jaban, middle jabo)

  1. (intransitive) break

Borrowed from English jab.

jab m (plural jabs)

  1. (boxing) jab