Meaning & use
door jamb
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
One of the two upright pieces of wood or metal that form the sides of a door frame.
Grammar: Countable noun: use 'a door jamb' for one, 'door jambs' for two or more.
Patterns
- a door jamb
- the door jamb
- door jambs
The lock was installed in the door jamb, not in the door itself.
He painted the door jambs white to match the walls.
A small crack in the door jamb let in a cold draft.
Word forms
| plural | door jambs |
|---|
Common combinations
- door jamb
- The hinge is screwed into the door jamb.
- wooden door jamb
- The old wooden door jamb was rotten at the bottom.
- metal door jamb
- A metal door jamb is stronger and more secure.
- door jamb switch
- The car's interior light comes on when the door jamb switch is pressed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- doorpost
- A doorpost is the same as a door jamb, but it is a slightly older or more literary word; in everyday speech, 'door jamb' is more common.
- doorframe
- A doorframe is the whole structure around a door, including the jambs and the lintel; a door jamb is only one of the vertical sides.
Word family
- doorjamb noun
- A single-word variant of 'door jamb', common in American English.
Commonly confused: door jamb or door jam?
door jamb vs door jam
'Door jam' is a misspelling of 'door jamb'. 'Jam' means a sweet spread or a traffic delay, while 'jamb' refers to the side of a door frame.
Practice
The key was stuck because it was bent, so he had to force it into the ______.
Choose one answer.
The key goes into the lock, which is set into the door jamb (the vertical side of the frame). 'Door jam' is a misspelling; 'door frame' is the whole structure, not the specific part where the lock sits; 'door handle' is the part you turn, not where the key enters.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “door jamb”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.