jam up
B2 neutral separable both
In simple words
make something stuck or too crowded
Literal meaning: To force something into a jam or stuck state.
Meanings
1 B2 neutral
To block or stop the movement of a machine, object, or passage.
"A folded label jammed up the printer again."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To make traffic, movement, or progress slow because of crowding or blockage.
"The accident jammed up the highway for miles."
Grammar: separable
3 C1
idiomatic
informal
To put someone in trouble or a difficult position.
"One missing signature jammed us up with the bank."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Used for machinery, traffic, and schedules. In some regional uses, 'jammed up' can also mean in trouble or in a difficult situation.
Commonly used with
traffic printer machine road schedule lines
Forms
Base
jam up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
jams up
he/she/it
Past simple
jamed up
yesterday
Past participle
jamed up
have + pp
-ing form
jaming up
continuous
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Synonyms
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