A door jamb (also sometimes doorjamb) is the vertical portion of the frame onto which a door is secured. The jamb bears the weight of the door through its hinges, and most types of door latches and deadbolts extend into a recess in the doorjamb when engaged, making the "true" (leveling) and strength of the doorjambs vitally important to the overall operational durability and security of the door.
The word "jamb" comes from the French "jambe", meaning "leg".
Famous quotes containing the word door:
“I went back to my work, but now without enthusiasm. I had looked through an open door that I was not willing to see shut upon me. I began to reflect upon life rather seriously for a girl of twelve or thirteen. What was I here for? What could I make of myself? Must I submit to be carried along with the current, and do just what everybody else did?”
—Lucy Larcom (1824–1893)