WordGarden.ioram
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈæm/
US
- /ˈræm/
Meanings
Noun
an adult male sheep
computer memory used for active processing and short-term data storage
a heavy striking or pressing device, or the moving part of a machine that pushes with force
Verb
to drive or hit something with force
Beyond the definition
Picture a heavy beam hitting a castle gate again and again: that gives you the heart of "ram." It usually means to hit something hard, often straight on. A car might ram another car, or an animal might ram a rival with its head. It can also mean to push something into a small space, like ramming clothes into a full suitcase. In a more figurative way, people use it when someone forces an idea, plan, or rule on others too strongly. The word usually carries a sense of force and pressure.
To ram something is to hit it with strong force, usually in a direct way. The word brings to mind one thing driving hard into another, like a vehicle ramming a barrier or an animal striking with its head. In history, a ram, or battering ram, was a heavy beam used to break through gates, walls, or other defenses.
The verb has several common uses. In the most literal sense, it describes a hard collision: "The truck rammed the fence." In a figurative sense, it can mean forcing a plan, law, or idea forward too quickly or too strongly: "The committee tried to ram the new rules through at the last minute." It can also mean pushing or packing something tightly into a space, such as ramming clothes into a bag or papers into a drawer. A common expression is "ramming your opinions down someone's throat," which means trying to make other people accept your views in an aggressive way.
As a noun, "ram" also means an adult male sheep, an animal known for charging and head-butting. That link helps explain why the word so often suggests force, pressure, and direct impact. Whether it refers to a crash, a strong push, a siege tool, or the animal itself, ram usually carries the idea of something forceful and driven straight ahead.
Examples
- 1
Animal
The farmer kept the ram separate from the ewes during the winter.
- 2
Vehicle crash
The van rammed into a tree at the side of the road.
- 3
Forceful closing
He rammed the drawer shut with his knee.
- 4
Packing quickly
She rammed the books into her bag and ran for the bus.
- Patternram something into + place
push it in hard or quickly
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Political process
Critics say the government rammed the law through without enough debate.
- Patternram something through
force it to be accepted quickly
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- ramnounverb
Forms
- ramspluralnounverb
- rammedpast tenseverbnoun
- ramming-ing formverbnoun