Dictionary

battering ram en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

The heads of some battering rams were carved in the shape of a ram, an animal renowned for butting with its head.

Meanings

1. (historical) A heavy object used for battering down walls and gates or a siege engine that includes such an object.
2. A modern device, usually in the form of a metal bar with handles, chiefly used by police and firefighters to force open locked doors.
3. (figuratively) Something which acts as a powerful tool against something.
   • That was expected, I suppose, because during the Trump era, the GOP was a battering ram against truth and reality. 2023 January 6, Peter Wehner, “The GOP Is a Battering Ram Against Truth”, in The Atlantic:
   • And in the edition of their party newspaper released last week, [the Tories] pledged to Manitobans that they would continue their battering ram approach this time around. 1982 December 11, Frances Russell, “Economic performance buoys Pawley’s position”, in The Vancouver Sun (The Weekend Sun), Vancouver, BC, page A6:

Forms

Synonyms

enforcer

Translations (50)

ru со́кол (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · de Sturmbock (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · de Rammbock (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · eo ramo (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · mk опсаден овен (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · uk тара́н (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · pt aríete (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ga reithe cogaidh (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ko 파성퇴 (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ru тара́н (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · fa چکش تیرکوب (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · it puntone (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · grc κριός (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · tr koçbaşı şahmerdan (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ca moltó (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · nl stormram (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · gl ariete (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · oc aret (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · nn rambukk (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · fr bélier (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · fi muurinmurtaja (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · fa دژکوب (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · pl taran (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · la ariēs (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · hu faltörő kos (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ru соко́л (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · it rompimuro (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · hy խոյ (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · fa راک (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ro berbec (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · sv murbräcka (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · mk овен (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · is múrbrjótur (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · nb rambukk (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ja 破城槌 (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · cmn 破城槌 (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · nrf mouton (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · es ariete (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · cy hwrddbeiriant (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · el πολιορκητικός κριός (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · cy hwrdd rhyfel (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · be тара́н (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · he איל ניגוח (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · da rambuk (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · cs beranidlo (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · it ariete (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · fi muurinsärkijä (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · cmn 攻城槌 (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · ca ariet (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls) · io arieto (type of siege engine used to smash gates and walls)