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REFERENCE

jar

n. · v.
US //ˈdʒɑɹ// UK //dʒˈɑː// jar
  1. 1 glass container (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a glass or clay container with a wide opening, used for storing food like jam or honey.

    a cylindrical container, typically made of glass or ceramic, with a wide mouth and no handle.

    Example

    She opened a new jar of strawberry jam for breakfast.

    Example

    The pantry was lined with glass jars containing various preserved fruits and pickled vegetables from the summer harvest.
  2. 2 a drink (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Informal

    a glass of beer, usually a pint.

    a pint of beer or cider; often used metonymically to refer to the act of drinking.

    Example

    Do you want to go to the pub for a jar after work?

    Example

    After a long week at the office, the team headed to the local tavern for a few jars and some casual conversation.
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  1. 3 a physical shock (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a sudden, sharp shake or movement.

    a sudden impact or vibration caused by a collision or sharp movement.

    Example

    The car hit a deep hole in the road with a violent jar.

    Example

    The sudden jar of the train braking caused several passengers to lose their balance and grab the handrails.
  2. 4 to shake or jolt (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to shake something or someone suddenly and hard.

    to strike or shake something with a sudden, sharp impact that causes a vibration.

    Example

    The earthquake jarred the dishes on the shelves.

    Example

    The heavy impact jarred his shoulder, leaving him with a dull ache that lasted for several days.
Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English jarre (“jar”), from Medieval Latin jarra, or from Middle French jarre (“liquid measure”) (from Old French jare; modern French jarre (“earthenware jar”)), or from Spanish jarra, jarro (“jug, pitcher; mug, stein”), all from Arabic جَرَّة (jarra, “earthen receptacle”). The word is cognate with Italian giara (“jar; crock”), Occitan jarro, Portuguese jarra, jarro (“jug; ewer, pitcher”). The verb is derived from the noun.

Etymology 2

From earlier jar, jur, jarre, jurre, of uncertain origin. Possibly from earlier char, chur, charre, churre (now spelt chirr, churr (“to make a sound”); compare also nightjar and its variant nightchurr), from Middle English chirren, cherren, churren (“to sound, cry, murmur, complain”), from Old English ċeorian (“to murmur, gripe, complain with just cause”), from Proto-West Germanic karēn (“to complain”). For the change of ch to j, compare also charm, jarm (“chirping”); achar, ajar (“slightly turned or open”), chaw, jaw, etc. The noun is derived from the verb.

Word family

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