Dictionary

ram en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• [ɹeə̯m] ~ [ɹɛə̯m] æ-raising
• /ɹæːm/ (Australia)
• /ɹam/ (British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
• [ɹæːm] without æ-raising
• /ɹæm/ (Canada, US)
• /ɹæm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ɹæm] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ɾam/ (Scotland, Wales)
• [ɹeːm] ~ [ɹɛːm] æ-raising
• /ɹɛm/ (New-Zealand)

Etymology

From Middle English ram, rom, ramme, from Old English ramm (“ram”), from Proto-Germanic *rammaz (“ram”), possibly from *rammaz (“strong”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Rom (“ram”), Dutch ram (“a male sheep”), German Ramm, Ramme (“ram”). Possibly akin also to Danish ram (“sharp; acrid; rank”), Swedish ram (“strong; perfect”), Faroese ramur (“strong; competent”), Icelandic rammur (“strong; sturdy”).

Meanings

1. A male sheep, typically uncastrated.
2. A battering ram; a heavy object used for breaking through doors.
   • The solid oak door—he fingered it again—was as though made to resist a ram, the walls built to withstand a siege, and every stone and brick in wall, bench, or floor was as immovable as the face of a rock. 1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
3. (historical) A warship intended to sink other ships by ramming them.
   • About a couple of miles out lay an ironclad very low in the water, almost, to my brother's perception, like a water-logged ship. This was the ram Thunder Child. 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 178:
4. (historical) A reinforced section of the bow of a warship, intended to be used for ramming other ships.
5. A piston powered by hydraulic pressure.
6. An act of ramming.
7. A weight which strikes a blow, in a ramming device such as a pile driver, steam hammer, or stamp mill.
   • He describes the operation thus: "The heavy ram employed to impart the finishing strokes, hoisted up with double purchase and snail's pace to the summit of the Piling Engine, and then falling down like a thunderbolt on the head of the devoted timber, driving it perhaps a single half inch in to the stratum below, is well calculated to put to the test the virtue of patience, while it illustrates the old adage of—slow and sure." 1952 July, W. R. Watson, “Sankey Viaduct and Embankment”, in Railway Magazine, page 487:

Forms

Coordinates

lamb · ewe · chilver

Deriveds

ram cichlid · ram bow · ramskin · ram-packed · ram-cat · ramlike · ramline · ramshorn · rammy · ram-pack · water ram · ram press · tunnel ram · ram air turbine · ramraid · ram pressure · ram air · ramjet · ramrod · ramhood · hydraulic ram

Hyponyms

torpedo ram

Relateds

teg · ewe · hog · wether · shearling

Translations (197)

tg гӯсфанд (male sheep) · fi puskuri (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · pt carneiro (male sheep) · de Schöps (male sheep) · arz خروف (male sheep) · tr koç (male sheep) · ru гидравли́ческий тара́н (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · zza beran (diq) (male sheep) · ka ვერძი (male sheep) · crh qoçqar (male sheep) · pl baran (male sheep) · te పొట్టేలు (male sheep) · fur roc (male sheep) · it ariete (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · sq dash (male sheep) · orv боранъ (male sheep) · cmn 公羊 (male sheep) · ar كَبْش (male sheep) · br tourz (male sheep) · bg ове́н (male sheep) · ug قوچقار (male sheep) · sv gumse (male sheep) · smn vierccâ (male sheep) · ba тәкә (male sheep) · wo kuuy mi (male sheep) · et päss (male sheep) · izh pässi (male sheep) · fr bélier (male sheep) · hy խոյ (male sheep) · lb Widder (male sheep) · cy maharen (male sheep) · pl siłownik (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · pt aríete (male sheep) · gmq-gut vädrä (male sheep) · rom bakro (male sheep) · ruq ăreati (male sheep) · tg гӯспанд (male sheep) · hi मेष (male sheep) · es carnero (male sheep) · gl borro (male sheep) · el κριός (male sheep) · grc κριός (male sheep) · ru ове́н (male sheep) · tg қӯшқор (male sheep) · aqc баӏкӏ (male sheep) · ast oveyu (male sheep) · mk овен (male sheep) · pl tryk (male sheep) · ab аҭыӷь (male sheep) · it sperone (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · gl carnocho (male sheep) · la aries (male sheep) · ky кой (male sheep) · uz qoʻy (male sheep) · se vierca (male sheep) · da vædder (male sheep) · ru тара́н (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · nl ram (male sheep) · kk қой (male sheep) · sl oven (male sheep) · aeb عَتْرُوسْ (male sheep) · gl rexelo (male sheep) · es ramiro (male sheep) · sq dak (male sheep) · ky кочкор (male sheep) · gv faase rea (male sheep) · la nāvis rōstrāta (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · vo hijip (male sheep) · ca marrà (male sheep) · ast castrón (male sheep) · ru бара́н (male sheep) · be бара́н (male sheep) · et jäär; (male sheep) · hi भेड़ा (male sheep) · fo veðrur (male sheep) · ga reithe (male sheep) · lt tekis (male sheep) · de Widder (male sheep) · es nave ariete (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · pox sťüp (male sheep) · ast carneru (male sheep) · it maglio idraulico (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · tr mahmuz (reinforced section of the bow of a warship) · ko 숫양 (male sheep) · nds Ramm (male sheep) · it montone (male sheep) · no saubukk (male sheep) · fa قوچ (male sheep) · rup birbec (roa-rup) (male sheep) · cu овьнъ (male sheep) · pal warān (male sheep) · fi juntta (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · tt тәкә (male sheep) · scn crastu (male sheep) · vo hojip (male sheep) · lv auns (male sheep) · fo veður (male sheep) · yi ווידער (male sheep) · bdk викьер (male sheep) · sh ован (male sheep) · cs beran (male sheep) · is hrútur (male sheep) · uk бара́н (male sheep) · nn vêr (male sheep) · mnc ᠪᡠᡴᠠ (male sheep) · ja 雄羊 (male sheep) · sv bagge (male sheep) · cs hydraulický píst (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · fi pässi (male sheep) · vi cừu đực (male sheep) · jv bandhot (male sheep) · yo àgbò (male sheep) · el κριάρι (male sheep) · de Schafbock (male sheep) · ckb بەران (male sheep) · ang ramm (male sheep) · su badot (male sheep) · lki ڤِرەن (male sheep) · nn sauebukk (male sheep) · ota قوچ (male sheep) · es espolón (reinforced section of the bow of a warship) · de Schafsbock (male sheep) · kk қошқар (male sheep) · es pistón hidráulico (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · mi hipi toa (male sheep) · az qoyun (male sheep) · oc marran (male sheep) · sa उरण (male sheep) · gl marón (male sheep) · fa راک (male sheep) · eo virŝafo (male sheep) · gl carneiro (male sheep) · lld curnëtl (male sheep) · an mardán (male sheep) · rup areati (roa-rup) (male sheep) · bg таран (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · lb Schofsbock (male sheep) · lt avinas (male sheep) · orv баранъ (male sheep) · no vær (male sheep) · shu كبش (male sheep) · es nave de abordaje (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · ro berbec (male sheep) · sk baran (male sheep) · el εμβολοφόρος πρώρα (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · nn saubukk (male sheep) · br maout (male sheep) · it maglio (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · ro arete (male sheep) · lld muton (male sheep) · gl brexo (male sheep) · sh баран (male sheep) · sh ovan (male sheep) · el κρουστικό έμβολο (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · os фыр (male sheep) · lld bagot (male sheep) · dsb baran (male sheep) · it ariete (male sheep) · he אַיִל (male sheep) · tg тагал (male sheep) · ba һарыҡ тәкәһе (male sheep) · sh baran (male sheep) · aeb كَبْشْ (male sheep) · uz qoʻchqor (male sheep) · cu ⱁⰲⱐⱀⱏ (male sheep) · az qoç (male sheep) · gv rea (male sheep) · xmf ერჯი (male sheep) · fi hydraulimäntä (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · fa تکل (male sheep) · eu ahari (male sheep) · bg хидравли́чен цили́ндър (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · fr éperonner (warship that sinks other ships by ramming them) · kmr beran (male sheep) · es ariete (male sheep) · rif išarri (male sheep) · da stødslæde (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · et oinas (male sheep) · egy z:r-E10 (male sheep) · no sauebukk (male sheep) · bg коч (male sheep) · my သိုးထီး (male sheep) · sdh وەرەن (male sheep) · gd rùda (male sheep) · cy hwrdd (male sheep) · es morueco (male sheep) · izh porona (male sheep) · sco tuip (male sheep) · nv deenástsʼaaʼ (male sheep) · lv tekulis (male sheep) · tr koyun (male sheep) · gl bidente (male sheep) · ks کَٹھ (male sheep) · hu kos (male sheep) · da stempel (piston powered by hydraulic pressure) · de Hammel (male sheep) · hi मेंढ़ा (male sheep)

wikidata: Q2929800

ram en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• [ɹeə̯m] ~ [ɹɛə̯m] æ-raising
• /ɹæːm/ (Australia)
• /ɹam/ (British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
• [ɹæːm] without æ-raising
• /ɹæm/ (Canada, US)
• /ɹæm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ɹæm] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ɾam/ (Scotland, Wales)
• [ɹeːm] ~ [ɹɛːm] æ-raising
• /ɹɛm/ (New-Zealand)

Etymology

From Middle English rammen, from the noun (see above). Compare Old High German rammen.

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To collide with (an object), usually with the intention of damaging it or disabling its function.
   • The only amusing highlight was Gudgeon having managed to exploit U.S. codebreaking efforts to ambush and destroy the submarine I-173, albeit not for the lack of the Mark 14's trying to sabotage the effort, as the torpedo that had hit the sub had refused to detonate; it seemed, however, that the car-crash levels of kinetic energy involved in the dud simply ramming the sub had nonetheless done enough to fatally damage it. 2021 December 29, Drachinifel, 21:03 from the start, in The USN Pacific Submarine Campaign - The Dark Year (Dec'41 - Dec'42), archived from the original on 19 Jul 2022:
   • Two snatch thieves who snatched a woman's bag experienced swift karma when their victim accidentally rammed into their motorcycle. 2016 December 29, M. Kumar, “Snatch thieves accidentally rammed by victim”, in The Star, Malaysia:
   • The other ships, either not caring or too badly-damaged to do anything about it, proceed on their mission, with König the last to fall silent, shot to pieces in a last attempt to ram the Bellerophon. 2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 25:35 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022:
   • A large stone rammed her head 2014, Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior, Pan Macmillan:
   • The man, driving an SUV, then rammed the gate, according to police.
2. (transitive) To strike (something) hard, especially with an implement.
   • To build a sturdy fence, you have to ram the posts deep into the ground.
3. (transitive) To seat a cartridge, projectile, or propellant charge in the breech of a firearm by pushing or striking.
   • After placing the cartridge in the musket, ram it down securely with the ramrod.
4. (also, figuratively, transitive) To force, cram or thrust (someone or something) into or through something.
   • Again: great to take lessons in ethics from a guy currently trying to ram through a policy of freighting refugees off to cuddly Rwandan president Paul Kagame. 2023 July 4, Marina Hyde, “Who’s for political Bazball with Rishi? Voters? Tories? Anyone?”, in The Guardian:
   • I quickly rammed another charge down the barrel and took aim.
5. (transitive) To fill or compact by pounding or driving.
   • They rammed the earth walls to make them more compact
6. (slang) To thrust during sexual intercourse.
   • 1999, Mr.Web, Size Matters review by mr. web review Group: rec.arts.movies.erotica like feel a soft butt against their pelvis or ram a girl really hard with piston-like speed while she begs and screams for more

Forms

Deriveds

rammed earth · head ram · rammer · overram · unram · rammable · ram home · ram-jam · ram something down someone's throat

Translations (43)

ru забива́ть (strike (something) hard) · es topar (strike (something) hard) · de rammen (strike (something) hard) · ru тара́нить (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · pl staranować (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · bg удрям силно (strike (something) hard) · bg набивам (strike (something) hard) · uk тара́нити (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · es chancar (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · fi iskeä (strike (something) hard) · de rammen (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · es embestir (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · el εμβολίζω (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · mi tuki (strike (something) hard) · nl rammen (strike (something) hard) · pl taranować (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · cs zarazit (strike (something) hard) · gl turrar (strike (something) hard) · la arietō (strike (something) hard) · sq rra (strike (something) hard) · kea kalka (strike (something) hard) · fr éperonner (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · fi lyödä (strike (something) hard) · be тара́ніць (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · eo rami (strike (something) hard) · pl wbić (strike (something) hard) · cs narazit (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · bg тараня (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · fi juntata (strike (something) hard) · cs vrazit (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · es arietar (strike (something) hard) · lt taranuoti (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · it speronare (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · pt abalroar (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · fi puskea (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · ru трамбова́ть (strike (something) hard) · ru вти́скивать (strike (something) hard) · el βροντώ (strike (something) hard) · sv ramma (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · cs napálit (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · nl rammen (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · la arietō (intentionally collide with (a ship)) · pl wbijać (strike (something) hard)

ram en · ADJ · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• [ɹeə̯m] ~ [ɹɛə̯m] æ-raising
• /ɹæːm/ (Australia)
• /ɹam/ (British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
• [ɹæːm] without æ-raising
• /ɹæm/ (Canada, US)
• /ɹæm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ɹæm] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ɾam/ (Scotland, Wales)
• [ɹeːm] ~ [ɹɛːm] æ-raising
• /ɹɛm/ (New-Zealand)

Etymology

Likely from Old Norse ramr, rammr (“strong, rank, bitter”), from Proto-Germanic *rammaz (“strong, overbearing; acrid, rank”), perhaps ultimately related to Etymology 1 above. Compare Scots ram (“a rank odour”). Compare also Middle English rammish (“rank, offensive in smell”).

Meanings

1. (Northern-England) Rancid; offensive in smell or taste.

Forms

Relateds

ram-don

ram en · NOUN · etymology 4

Pronunciation

• [ɹeə̯m] ~ [ɹɛə̯m] æ-raising
• /ɹæːm/ (Australia)
• /ɹam/ (British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
• [ɹæːm] without æ-raising
• /ɹæm/ (Canada, US)
• /ɹæm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ɹæm] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ɾam/ (Scotland, Wales)
• [ɹeːm] ~ [ɹɛːm] æ-raising
• /ɹɛm/ (New-Zealand)

Meanings

1. (Multicultural-London-English, alt-of, alternative, slang) Alternative form of rambo.
   alt of rambo