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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Jam, Jamme, n. Also : jamm, jalme; jame, jayme; jawm; jamb. [e.m.E. jamme (1584), iawme (1565), e.m.E. and ME. jamb(e (1428), ME. jawmbe (c 1400), F. jambe. In Sc. uncommon before the 17th c.Sense 2 is appar. found only in Sc.]

1. A side-post or cheek of a doorway, window, or chimney-piece. Also attrib. with stane, band. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. III. 150.
Subtile muldrie wrocht mony day agone, On buttereis, jalme, pillaris and plesand springis 1535-6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 137.
For v^xx vi pece dowble aslaris for jawmis and tabill 1586 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 388.
For hewin of the jammes of ane entres in the kirk yerd 1628 M. Works Acc. XX. b.
For doun carying to the abay viij chimnay jams 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 201.
The hewen work viz. the james and lintillsattrib. 1570 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 110 b.
The foirland … fra the estmast jam stane of the bak hall dure to the foirgait 1697 Irvine Mun. II. 315.
Iron work for bands … to the door, … two pair jam bands

2. A projecting wing of a building; an additional portion extending laterally from the main body of the building. 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 44.
To reforme the wrang done be him in the inputting of certane his jammes and aisiamentis in the said Johnne westir gavill of his tenement 16.. Hist. Kennedy 12.
Cuming … to the yett-hous, quhilk wes joynit to the jayme of the mayne hous 1635 Haddington Corr. 302.
In the bak rowme of the said chalmber, quhilk is the mid chalmber in the jam 1642 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 6.
That the said librairie sall be build betwix the jam of the old hows and the stair of the new hows c1646 Craufurd Hist. Univ. Edinb. 99.
The two chambers in the jamb of the great hall 1671 Kirkwall Sheriff Ct. Deeds MS.
In the litle jamm abone the turnpick ane draw bed 1684 Thanes of Cawdor 367.
To build a new jamb … keiping the north wall of the jamb in a straight lyne with the rest of the building 1691 Melville Corr. 168.
Their was first burnt … a great body of ane house, a jam and a stair case 1730 Stirling B. Rec. II. 212.
To cause furnish a chalder of coalls to the grammar schooll for drying the jamm or addition lately built therto