To write something quickly and briefly, usually as a short note.
To write something fast so you don't forget it.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To write something quickly and briefly so you will remember it.
"Let me jot down your email address before I forget."
I jotted down a few notes during the lecture.
— Widely used construction; standard usage cited in Cambridge and Oxford learner's dictionaries
To make a quick written record of ideas or information, especially informally.
"She jotted down her initial thoughts before the meeting started."
Extremely common in everyday English. The object can be placed between 'jot' and 'down' (jot it down) or after (jot down the number). Always implies brevity and speed — you jot down a phone number, not an essay. Used in both British and American English.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "jot down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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