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Glite Dictionary
doorjamb

doorjamb

6 6.8
The vertical part of a door frame that holds the hinges and lock
  • noun
  • /ˈdɔrˌdʒæm/
translation icon : jamba de la puerta
  • The dayroom and guard's cage were dark, but a slit of light shone from the doorjamb.

Examples

  • My father kept a record of my height by marking it inconspicuously on a doorjamb.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Uncle Mac moved over to the doorway and began scratching his back against the doorjamb.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • This doorjamb needs to be replaced.

    Letter Never Sent (2015)

  • Detective, take a look at the bullet mark on the doorjamb.

    The Sentinel (2006)

  • After a time, I leaned against the doorjamb and closed my eyes.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • I leaned a little right on the doorjamb and surveyed the room.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Howard was leaning on his doorjamb, watching Dolly.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • I leaned against the doorjamb, letting my spine sag.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Mother would wave to them from the kitchen door, watching them as she leaned against the doorjamb, silently counting her blessings.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The door made a loud noise as it swung against the wooden doorjamb.

Synonyms

jamb
vsdoorjamb
  • Specialized
5 7.7

A vertical piece at the side of a door or window frame

is specific to the frame part where the door is secured
doorpost
vsdoorjamb
1 2.7

An upright post at the side of a door that helps hold it

is the vertical frame part that the door is secured onto

Surface Forms

doorjamb singular
doorjambs plural

Morphology

doorjamb = door + jamb (transparent) = door + jamb

Literal compound of 'door' + 'jamb'; the sense is directly the jamb (side-post) of a door.

Etymology

The word doorjamb joins door and jamb, and jamb comes from an old French word meaning 'leg'. Think of the doorjamb as the door's 'leg' or upright support where the hinges and lock are fixed, which is why it is the vertical part of the frame.