jab — ODE · Shobdo

jab /dʒab

▸ verb

( jabs, jabbing, jabbed)

1 [with object and adverbial] poke roughly or quickly, especially with something sharp or pointed:

she jabbed him in his ribs

[no object] he jabbed at the air with his finger.

▪ roughly or quickly thrust (a sharp or pointed object) someone or something:

she jabbed the fork into the earth.

2 [with object] British English inject (someone) with a vaccine; vaccinate:

the task involves complex logistics before Brits can roll up their sleeves and get jabbed

those jabbed yesterday have started to build immunity.

▸ noun

1 a quick, sharp blow, especially with the fist:

a jab in the stomach

fast jabs to the face.

▪ a sharp, painful sensation or feeling:

a jab of envy.

2 British English a hypodermic injection, especially a vaccination:

the first people to be vaccinated were given the jab yesterday

an anti-tetanus jab.

– ORIGIN early 19th century (originally Scots): variant of job2.