I. ˈram, ˈraa(ə)m noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ramm; akin to Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, & Old High German ram, and probably to Old Norse rammr, ramr strong, bitter, sharp, Old Irish remor thick, fat, Old Slavic raměnŭ violent
1.
a. : a male sheep
b. southern Africa
(1) : a male goat
(2) : the male of any of numerous small antelopes : buck
2.
a.
(1) : battering ram
(2) : something resembling or used as a battering ram
b.
(1) : a warship fitted with a heavy steel or iron beak at the prow for piercing or cutting an enemy's ship
(2) : the prow of a ship fitted with such a beak
3. : any of various guided pieces for exerting considerable pressure or for driving or forcing something by impact: as
a. : the plunger of a hydrostatic press, hydraulic elevator, or force pump
b. : the reciprocating arm or piece carrying the tool head in a shaping or a slotting machine
c. : the weight which strikes the blow especially in a pile driver or steam hammer
4. : hydraulic ram
5. : ram effect
II. verb
( rammed ; rammed ; ramming ; rams )
Etymology: Middle English rammen, probably from ram, n.
intransitive verb
1. : to pound earth in order to make it hard and solid
2. : to strike with violence : crash
three perished when their auto rammed into a tree — Pasadena (Calif.) Independent
3. : to move with extreme rapidity and force
a passenger train ramming past in the final heat of its run from Chicago — H.L.Davis
4. : to produce a ram effect upon air
transitive verb
1.
a. : to force down usually by driving, pressing, or pushing
ram fence posts into the ground
rammed his hat over his ears
ram the mix little by little into the mold with a mallet — F.H.Norton
b. : to make compact (as earth) especially by pounding or stamping
rammed earth construction is not new — New Republic
2. : to stop up : block to prevent passage
rammed the mouse hole with a tin can
3.
a. : to press or push in the contents of : fill firmly
rammed his pipe with his finger
b.
(1) : to force ammunition into (a gun)
(2) : to force (as ammunition) into a gun
c. : to force recognition of (as a point of view) — usually used with home
he despaired of his ability to ram home the reality of the beauty of the Church — Bruce Marshall
rams home the pure and shrieking insanity of war — Clifton Fadiman
4. : to thrust into : press closely and tightly together
rammed the clothes into a packing case
his hands were rammed hard in his pants' pockets — E.V.Roberts
great slices of meat onto his fork and ramming them into his mouth — Bruce Marshall
5. : to fill up : cram
the closet was rammed with the children's toys
6. : to butt or strike against violently : drive against or through : crash into
side-swiped one parked machine then rammed the rear of another — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
7. : to drive forcefully and with extreme rapidity
was ramming his airplane across the United States at eight miles a minute — Horace Sutton
Synonyms: see pack
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- ram down one's throat
III. ˈram adjective
Etymology: of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect ram strong-smelling, strong or unpleasant to the taste, Danish dialect, strong, biting, Old Norse rammr, ramr strong, bitter, sharp — more at ram I
dialect England : rancid