Meaning & use
jot down
Last updated
UK/ˌdʒɒt ˈdaʊn/
US/ˌdʒɑːt ˈdaʊn/
Meaning
verbphrasal verb
To write something quickly and briefly so that you do not forget it.
Grammar: Takes an object and can be split: jot down a note or jot a note down.
Patterns
- jot down something
- jot something down
Let me jot down your phone number before I forget it.
She jotted the directions down on the back of an envelope.
He keeps a notebook to jot down ideas as they come.
Word forms
| third person singular | jots down |
|---|---|
| past tense | jotted down |
| past participle | jotted down |
| -ing form | jotting down |
Common combinations
- jot down notes
- Students jot down notes during the lecture.
- jot down an idea
- He tried to jot down an idea before it slipped away.
- jot down a number
- Please jot down the order number.
- quickly jot down
- She quickly jotted down the license plate.
- jot down your thoughts
- Take a minute to jot down your thoughts before the meeting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- note down
- Note down is neutral and may suggest a more deliberate record, while jot down stresses speed and brevity.
- scribble
- Scribble suggests hasty, untidy writing, and the result may be hard to read.
- write down
- Write down is the plain all-purpose choice and carries no suggestion that the note is short or quick.
- take down
- Take down means to record what someone says, such as a message or statement, rather than your own quick note.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: jot down or jolt?
jot down vs jolt
Jolt means to shake or startle, with a l; jot is to write a quick note.
Practice
Could you ___ the website address while I read it out?
Choose one answer.
Jot down means to write quickly, which is what the speaker needs. Jolt, jam and jut are real words but do not form this phrasal verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jot down”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.