Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
JAMB, n. Also jam(m), jaum; jum(m); jumze; jammer (Uls.). [dʒɑm]
1. As in Eng., the side post of a door, fireplace or window (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 170). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1742 Caled. Mercury (2 March):
There is just now 1500 Pieces of fine Aslure Jambs, and 4 Foot lying at the Quarry.Fif. 1859 P. Landreth Joseph Spindle (1911) 46:
The parritch-pat that stude on the jamb.Ags. 1929 Scots Mag. (May) 149:
Wi' ae haund on the chair-airm an' the ither on the ingle jamb.
Hence used attrib. in combs.: ¶(1) jamb-freen, a crony, intimate friend; (2) jam-stane, the upright stone at the side of a fireplace. Gen.Sc.; (3) jamb-wall, a short wall between fireplace and door (Uls. 1953 Traynor).(1) Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 15:
Thus, on the sad day he was kisted, A wheen o' his jamb freen's insisted That they'd come stappin' yont that nicht.(2) Ayr. 1828 D. Wood Poems 54:
There I saw Twa jam stanes stanin'.Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 299:
I take my keelievine, An' on the jam-stane draw A horse or hoose.(3) Uls. 1957 E. E. Evans Irish Folk Ways 64:
In that case — and invariably where the front door is adjacent — there may be a draught screen of wood mud or stone — the jamb-wall — built out from the fireside and terminating in the jamb, so as to partition off the fireside.
2. A projecting wing or addition to a building built up against, or attached to, the original wall (Sc. 1808 Jam.; n.Sc. 1840 D. Sage Mem. Domest. (1889) 170; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; ‡Sh., ne.Sc., ‡Rnf. 1959). Dim. jammie, a hovel (Rs. 1919), jambick, id. (Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 65). Commonly found in 19th c. as comb. back-jamb (Sc. 1825 Jam.), also used attrib.Sc. 1707 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 406:
There are severall other too-falls, jambs, houses and stables builded by them adjacent to the said tenement.Slg. 1730 Burgh Rec. Slg. (B.R.S.) 212:
Appoints Andrew Muirhead, toun treasurer, to cause furnish a chalder of coalls to the grammar school for drying the jamm or addition lately built thereto.Edb. c.1738 W. Maitland Hist. Edb. (1753) 456:
A Body of a House, two hundred and six Feet long from East to West, fronting North, with two Wings or Jambs, extending Northwards from the Ends of the Body, seventy Feet each.Ork. 1747 P. Ork. A.S. XII. 53:
In the Laigh Jam entering off the Low Room. Two small Puncheons.Abd. 1777 Abd. Journal (13 Oct.):
Item in the Back-house or Jaum, a Kitchen, a Coal Cellar.Dmf. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 VIII. 311:
The church . . . has a large jam, very commodious for dispensing the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lx.:
Your drawing rooms and your new back jams.Rnf. 1876 W. Hector Judicial Rec. 156:
How pleasing it was to see in this humble dwelling the “back-jamb parlour” neatly furnished and carpeted.Ags. 1890 Brechin Advert. (28 Oct.) 3:
John Craig had a joiner's work-shop in a back jamb under Charlie Porter's dwallin'-hoose.
3. A corner of a projecting pillar of rock.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 256:
His highness [a fox] places himself in a jamb or chink, that they [terriers] cannot get behind him.
4. A large, rambling house, esp. one too big for its occupants (Ayr. 1825 Jam., jum; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 89, jam; Uls.3 1930; ne.Sc., Kcb. (jum) 1959).Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 134:
It's sic a muckle jamb, an' mair nor the tae half o' 't 'll hae to stan' teem.Abd.15 1954:
It's a muckle teem jam o' a hoose. Wid 'a been better an't hid been made less.
5. By extension: anything large and clumsy or comparatively worthless (Uls. 1924 W. Lutton Montiaghisms 26, jumm).Upp.Lnk. 1825 Jam.:
Applied to what is larger than is necessary; as “a jumze of a house,” a large empty house, or one too large for the use; “a jumze of a cart,” etc.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 89:
He's bocht an aul' jam o' a coo.Sc. 1882 Francisque-Michel 29:
The word jam was at times applied to a large house having a wing, and is yet applied to a large rambling house, or even to a large cupboard.
6. One of the arms or beaters in a fulling-mill.Rxb. 1875 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 34:
Away the smugglers galloped, . . . “with their legs flauchen like the jams of a waulkmill.”
