Dictionary

jab en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /d͡ʒæb/
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. A quick stab or blow; a poking or thrusting motion.
   • He tore in for the ball, make a running jab for it and held it. 1952, Bernard Malamud, The Natural, Chapter 9:
2. A short straight punch.
   • 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. 2011 December 18, Ben Dirs, “Carl Froch outclassed by dazzling Andre Ward”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2022:
3. (UK) 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. (Australia, New-Zealand, Philippines, UK, sometimes) A vaccination, whether or not delivered by means of a conventional injection.
   • A 'painless' sticking plaster flu jab that delivers vaccine into the skin has passed important safety tests in the first trial in people. 2017 June 28, Michelle Roberts, “Painless flu jab patch for people scared of injections”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 03 Aug 2021:
5. (US, figuratively) A mild verbal insult.

Forms

Deriveds

jabless · jabber · skinny jab · terrorist fist jab · jabby · jab artist · jab saw · anti-jabber · counterjab

Translations (94)

sh ubod (quick stab) · nl stoot ((boxing) a short straight punch) · sv jabb ((boxing) a short straight punch) · fi ruiske (medical injection) · kk сөзбен түйреу (a verbal annoyance) · fi pisto (a verbal annoyance) · es chanza (a verbal annoyance) · ru шпи́лька (a verbal annoyance) · ga sáiteán (quick stab) · pl zaczepka (a verbal annoyance) · sh zabadanje (a verbal annoyance) · fr piqûre (medical injection) · bg рязък удар (quick stab) · az atmaca (a verbal annoyance) · es mofa (a verbal annoyance) · it iniezione (medical injection) · km ការចាក់ថ្នាំ (medical injection) · kk түйреп алу (a verbal annoyance) · fi piikki (medical injection) · ga sonc (quick stab) · kk нұқу (quick stab) · la scōmma (a verbal annoyance) · grc σκῶμμᾰ (a verbal annoyance) · hu kötekedés (a verbal annoyance) · fi sivallus (a verbal annoyance) · de Piks (medical injection) · de Stichelei (a verbal annoyance) · kk сөзбен шағу (a verbal annoyance) · pt direto ((boxing) a short straight punch) · pt jab (MMA) ((boxing) a short straight punch) · sw sindano (medical injection) · fi tökkäys (quick stab) · es golpe abrupto (quick stab) · sv stick (medical injection) · ka დარტყმა (quick stab) · ru ко́лкость (a verbal annoyance) · it dritto ((boxing) a short straight punch) · kk шағу (a verbal annoyance) · hu szúrás ((boxing) a short straight punch) · ru уда́р (quick stab) · th หมัดแย็บ ((boxing) a short straight punch) · fi pistos (medical injection) · bg инжекция (medical injection) · ga instealladh (medical injection) · fr injection (medical injection) · nl prik (medical injection) · es recto (MMA) ((boxing) a short straight punch) · fi sohaisu (quick stab) · et piste (quick stab) · nl por ((boxing) a short straight punch) · ka ჩარტყმა (quick stab) · ru толчо́к (quick stab) · et torge (quick stab) · pt cruzado ((boxing) a short straight punch) · no stikk (quick stab) · no stikk (medical injection) · hu csipkelődés (a verbal annoyance) · bg прав удар ((boxing) a short straight punch) · fr pique (a verbal annoyance) · kk түйреу (a verbal annoyance) · es pulla (a verbal annoyance) · ka წიხლი (quick stab) · pl cios prosty ((boxing) a short straight punch) · hu oltás (medical injection) · de subkutane Impfung (medical injection) · fi piikki (a verbal annoyance) · hu injekció (medical injection) · es burla (a verbal annoyance) · es jab ((boxing) a short straight punch) · ru джеб (quick stab) · ga dorn ((boxing) a short straight punch) · es pinchazo (medical injection) · es directo ((boxing) a short straight punch) · sh injekcija (medical injection) · ga buille ((boxing) a short straight punch) · de Injektion (medical injection) · th หมัดหน้า ((boxing) a short straight punch) · nl stomp ((boxing) a short straight punch) · hu döfés (quick stab) · ru джеб ((boxing) a short straight punch) · ar لَكْمَة أَمَامِيَّة ((boxing) a short straight punch) · de Gerade ((boxing) a short straight punch) · ru пино́к (quick stab) · pt injeção (medical injection) · sv spruta (medical injection) · sh kratki direkt ((boxing) a short straight punch) · fr jab ((boxing) a short straight punch) · nl prik (quick stab) · es fisga (a verbal annoyance) · ka პანღური (quick stab) · it puntura (medical injection) · ru уко́л (medical injection) · fi pisto (quick stab) · ga smitín ((boxing) a short straight punch)

jab en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /d͡ʒæb/
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. To poke or thrust abruptly, or to make such a motion.
   • 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. 1991, Etienne, “In Enemy Hands”, in Drummer, number 151, archived from the original on 06 Feb 2026, page 32:
2. To deliver a quick punch.
3. (UK, slang) To give someone an injection.
4. (slang) To vaccinate or inoculate someone.
5. To make fun of, to mock.
   • 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. 2007, Joel A. Johnson, Beyond Practical Virtue: A Defense of Liberal Democracy Through Literature, University of Missouri Press, →ISBN:

Forms

Deriveds

jabbingly · jabber · jabbee · double-jab

Relateds

jab molassie · jab jab

Synonyms

pink · lancinate · stick · splash · shank · juke · job · stog · stab · gore · stick · stob · yerk · run through · poach · speet · job · gride · jab · shiv · chive · ching · chef · foin · kebab · chib · pigstick · knifecrime · thrust · spear · enthrill

Translations (48)

pl uderzać (to deliver a quick punch) · nl steken (to poke or thrust abruptly) · fi piikittää ((slang) to give someone an injection) · es puyar (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ru пырну́ть (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ga tabhair smitín (to deliver a quick punch) · pl uderzać (to deliver a quick punch) · fi tökätä (to poke or thrust abruptly) · es golpear (to poke or thrust abruptly) · fi sohaista (to deliver a quick punch) · pl bóść (to poke or thrust abruptly) · bg пробождам (to poke or thrust abruptly) · nl porren (to deliver a quick punch) · bg ръгам (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ga prioc (to poke or thrust abruptly) · de zustoßen (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ga tabhair instealladh do ((slang) to give someone an injection) · ru ширну́ть ((slang) to give someone an injection) · tr sançmak (to poke or thrust abruptly) · fr jaber (to deliver a quick punch) · fi survaista (to poke or thrust abruptly) · sv jabba (to deliver a quick punch) · ru пихну́ть (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ota صاپلامق (to poke or thrust abruptly) · pl bodnąć (to poke or thrust abruptly) · fi pistää (to deliver a quick punch) · bg мушкам (to poke or thrust abruptly) · fi tökkäistä (to poke or thrust abruptly) · de piksen ((slang) to give someone an injection) · ga tabhair priocadh do (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ru ткнуть (to poke or thrust abruptly) · sv sticka ((slang) to give someone an injection) · ga sáigh (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ga insteall ((slang) to give someone an injection) · sh probosti (to poke or thrust abruptly) · tr saplamak (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ru ширя́ть ((slang) to give someone an injection) · ga tabhair sonc do (to poke or thrust abruptly) · pl wstrzyknąć ((slang) to give someone an injection) · de eine Gerade schlagen (to deliver a quick punch) · ota دورتمك (to poke or thrust abruptly) · nl prikken ((slang) to give someone an injection) · sh udariti (to deliver a quick punch) · pl wstrzykiwać ((slang) to give someone an injection) · et torkima (to poke or thrust abruptly) · ka დარტყმა (to deliver a quick punch) · ru уда́рить (to deliver a quick punch) · ga dírigh (to poke or thrust abruptly)