dram en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English dragme /dramme, from Old French dragme, from Late Latin dragma, from Latin drachma, from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “unit of weight; a handful”). Doublet of drachma, diram, dirham, dirhem, and adarme.
Meanings
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(alt-of, alternative, qualifier:units of measurement) A small unit of weight, variously: ▸ Alternative form of drachm (“One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (1.77 g; symbol: ʒ)”).
alt of drachm
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(alt-of, alternative, qualifier:units of measurement; pharmacy; pharmacy) A small unit of weight, variously: ▸ Alternative form of drachm (“One eighth of an ounce apothecary (3.89 g; symbol: ʒ)”).
alt of drachm
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(qualifier:units of measurement, uncommon) A small unit of weight, variously: ▸ Synonym of dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g).
Dram (49·5 grains), 100=chequi, 4=oka (2·8286 ℔); dram (49·5 grains), 180=rotl, 100=kintal or kantar (127·29 ℔).
1888, W.M.F. Petrie, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. XXIV, s.v. "Weights and Measures"
- (obsolete, qualifier:units of measurement) A small unit of weight, variously: ▸ Synonym of drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g).
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(broadly) Any similarly minute quantity, (now particularly) a small amount of strong alcohol or poison.
Connoisseurs may prefer to savour their dram of single malt straight up. But, for beverage companies, that's not where the growth is.
2025 December 27, “Cocktails in a can are the new frontier for drooping drinks giants”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18:Were I the chooser, a dram of well-doing should be preferred before many times as much the forcible hindrance of evildoing.
1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC:When Friday came to him I bade him ſpeak to him, and tell him of his Deliverance, and pulling out my Bottle, made him give the poor Wretch a Dram, which, with the News of his being deliver'd, reviv'd him, and he ſat up in the Boat […]
1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, pages 281–282:a dram of brandy
Oh, brethren, if you wants more preachin' Save a little dram for me (Glory hallelujah!) Drinkin' gin ain't against my teachin'
1920, Marshall Walker, Will E. Skidmore, “Save a Little Dram for Me”, performed by Bert Williams:
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(historical) A cart formerly used to haul coal in coal mines.
The rolling stock, consisting entirely of four-wheel open trucks, or drams, was broken up at Bonvilles Court Colliery.
1946 November and December, “The Saundersfoot Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 340:
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(obsolete) Synonym of drachma: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma; other similar coins.
They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams [i.e., the Persian daric] of gold, and five thousand pound of silver […]
The Bible (King James Version), Ezra 2:69
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| drams | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
angels' dram · dramseller · dramshop · dramless · angel's dram · dram shop liability · fluidram
Descendants
Synonyms
pinch (small amount of something) · smidge (small amount of something) · nip (small amount of alcohol) · dirhem · mite (small amount of something) · bit (small amount of something) · drachma · drachma · smidgeon (small amount of something)
Translations (25)
da dram (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · fi hyppysellinen (minute quantity) · fi dram (1⁄16 ounce avoirdupois) · pt dracma (1⁄16 ounce avoirdupois) · nrf dranme (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · fi hitunen (minute quantity) · fi hiven (minute quantity) · fi tilkka (minute quantity) · fi huikka (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · pt dedo (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · fi naukku (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · it virgola (minute quantity) · pl kieliszek alkoholu (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · it nonnulla (minute quantity) · bg капка (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · fi tilkkanen (minute quantity) · bg капка (minute quantity) · pl drachma (1⁄16 ounce avoirdupois) · fo drammur (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · fi tuikku (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · fi tilkkanen (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · de Kurzer (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · pt dedo (minute quantity) · gd dràm (small quantity of an alcoholic drink) · pl kapka (minute quantity)