jam
n.— «The Friars certainly aren’t looking for Irwin to provide 10 goals a year, anchor the power play and rush the puck from end to end. What they are looking for is that word that floats around the catacombs of Schneider Arena like a biblical buzzword: jam. “Jam” measures the intangibles a defenseman brings to the game on a nightly basis. It measures grit and toughness and nastiness and responsibility. It measures speed and pop and playing the body.» —“PC’s Irwin turns the page” by Travis Barrett The Call (Woonsocket, R.I.) Oct. 15, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Oofless is an antiquated bit of British slang that describes someone temporarily short on cash. It’s from ooftisch, a Yiddish-derived term for “cash placed on the table,” from German auf Tisch. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Carpe diem! A new book reveals the surprisingly unfamiliar stories behind familiar quotations. Also: Rock climbers have gumbies, and surfers have kooks. What do those words say about beginners who have more confidence than experience? Plus, if...