What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Jam vs Grate - What's the difference?

jam | grate |

As nouns the difference between jam and grate

is that jam is a sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts while grate is a horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.

As verbs the difference between jam and grate

is that jam is to get something stuck in a confined space while grate is to furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars.

As an adjective grate is

serving to gratify; agreeable.

jam

English

, a type of jam, spread on a piece of bread

Etymology 1

Noun

  • A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts.
  • (countable) A difficult situation.
  • I’m in a jam right now. Can you help me out?
  • * 1975 , (Bob Dylan), (Tangled Up in Blue)
  • She was married when we first met
    Soon to be divorced
    I helped her out of a jam , I guess
    But I used a little too much force.
  • (countable) Blockage, congestion.
  • A traffic jam caused us to miss the game's first period.
    a jam of logs in a river
  • An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal.
  • (countable, baseball) A difficult situation for a pitcher or defending team.
  • He's in a jam now, having walked the bases loaded with the cleanup hitter coming to bat.
  • (countable, basketball) A forceful dunk.
  • (countable, roller derby) A play during which points can be scored.
  • Toughie scored four points in that jam .
  • (climbing, countable) Any of several maneuvers requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space.
  • I used a whole series of fist and foot jams in that crack.
  • (UK) luck.
  • He's got more jam than Waitrose.
  • (mining)
  • Synonyms
    * (sweet mixture of fruit) conserve, (US) jelly, preserve * See also
    Derived terms
    * jamjar * jammy * jam band * jam roly poly * jam sandwich * jam session * jam tart * jam tomorrow * log jam * Murrumbidgee jam * pearl jam * power jam * toe jam * traffic jam * want jam on it * climbing: ** hand jam ** finger jam ** fist jam ** foot jam ** pinkie jam ** ring jam ** thumb-down jam
    See also
    * jelly * marmalade

    Verb

    (jamm)
  • To get something stuck in a confined space.
  • My foot got jammed in a gap between the rocks.
    Her poor little baby toe got jammed in the door.
    I jammed the top knuckle of my ring finger.
  • To brusquely force something into a space; cram, squeeze.
  • They temporarily stopped the gas tank leak by jamming a piece of taffy into the hole.
    The rush-hour train was jammed with commuters.
  • To cause congestion or blockage. Often used with "up"
  • A single accident can jam the roads for hours.
  • To block or confuse a broadcast signal.
  • (baseball) To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands.
  • Jones was jammed by the pitch.
  • (music) To play music (especially improvisation as a group, or an informal unrehearsed session).
  • To injure a finger or toe by sudden compression of the digit's tip.
  • When he tripped on the step he jammed his toe.
  • (roller derby) To attempt to score points.
  • Toughie jammed four times in the second period.
  • (nautical) To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback.
  • Synonyms
    * ram
    Derived terms
    * (to squeeze into a small space) jam-pack * jammer

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) or (etyl), meaning "garment, robe"; related to pajamas.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) A kind of frock for children.
  • English ergative verbs ----

    grate

    English

    Etymology 1

    (lena) grata, from (etyl) word for a hurdle; or (etyl) grata, of the same origin.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.
  • The grate stopped the sheep from escaping from their field.
  • * Shakespeare
  • a secret grate of iron bars
  • A frame or bed, or kind of basket, of iron bars, for holding fuel while burning.
  • Synonyms
    * grille

    Verb

  • To furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars.
  • to grate a window

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) Etymology] of kradse in [[:w:da:ODS, ODS] and Danish kratte.

    Verb

  • (cooking) To shred things, usually foodstuffs, by rubbing across a grater.
  • To rub against, making a (usually unpleasant) squeaking sound.
  • * 1856 : (Gustave Flaubert), (Madame Bovary), Part 3 Chapter X, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling
  • The gate suddenly grated . It was Lestiboudois; he came to fetch his spade, that he had forgotten. He recognised Justin climbing over the wall, and at last knew who was the culprit who stole his potatoes.
  • * , chapter=7
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The turmoil went on—no rest, no peace. […] It was nearly eleven o'clock now, and he strolled out again. In the little fair created by the costers' barrows the evening only seemed beginning; and the naphtha flares made one's eyes ache, the men's voices grated harshly, and the girls' faces saddened one.}}
  • (by extension) To ; to irritate or annoy.
  • (by extension, transitive, obsolete) To annoy.
  • * Shakespeare
  • News, my good lord Rome grates me.
    Derived terms
    * grater * grating * gratings * grate upon

    Etymology 3

    (etyl) (lena) .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Serving to gratify; agreeable.
  • References

    Anagrams

    * ----