Definition of
Jab
- (noun, act) the act of touching someone suddenly with your finger or elbow
- (noun, act) a quick short straight punch
- (noun, act) a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)
he made a thrusting motion with his fist - (verb, contact) poke or thrust abruptly
- (verb, contact) stab or pierce
- (verb, contact) strike or punch with quick and short blows
via WordNet, Princeton University
Alternate forms of Jab
Hypernyms: biff, clout, gesture, lick, poke, punch, slug, strike, thrust, touch, touching
Origin of the word Jab
- 1825, "to thrust with a point," Scot. variant of job "to strike, pierce, thrust," from M.E. jobben "to jab, thrust, peck" (c.1490), of unknown origin, perhaps echoic. Noun meaning "a punch with the fist" is from 1889. Sense of "injection with a hypodermic needle" is from 1914. more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper