jab

Everyday

1. To jab is to push something pointed quickly and hard into or at something, like a finger or stick. tree →
2. A jab is a quick, hard poke or punch. tree →
3. (informal, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ) A jab is an injection, like a vaccine: "the flu jab". tree →
4. (informal) A jab is a short unkind remark: "a jab at her spelling". tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and health: children get jabs (vaccinations) from the nurse. In boxing, a jab is a fast straight punch. In stories, a character jabs a finger or a stick. Phrases: flu jab, have a jab, jab at, take a jab at.

Examples

• He jabbed me with his elbow. tree →
• We had our flu jabs at school. tree →
• The nurse said the jab would only sting a little. tree →
• She jabbed the button on the lift. tree →
• The boxer threw a quick jab. tree →
• Don't jab your pencil at people. tree →
• His joke was a jab at my messy hair. tree →
• All 28 children had the jab, in two groups of 14. tree →

Note

Regular verb, double b: jabbed, jabbing. Informal; formal word for injection is vaccination or injection. In US English people say "shot" instead of "jab".