ramm

See also: Ramm and ramm-

Limburgish

Alternative forms

• ram (Veldeke spelling, Rheinische Dokumenta spelling)

Etymology

Compared with Low German ram(m) (“tart, flavourful, strong”) and Middle Low German ramer (“strong, spicy, bitter”). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʁam/, [ˈʁɑm]
• Rhymes: -am

Adverb

ramm (German-based spelling, Eupen spelling)

1. completely, totally, utterly

   Mienge GSM ess ramm kapott.

   My mobile phone is completely destroyed.

2. very

   Dää Waan ess ramm schnell!

   That car is very fast!

Old English

Alternative forms

• ram

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *rammaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɑmm/, [rɑm]

Noun

ramm m

1. ram (animal)
   • c. 994, Ælfric, On the Year

     Ðǣre sunnan ġēar is ꝥ hēo beyrne þone miċlan ċircul zōdiacum, ⁊ ġecume under ǣlċ þǣra twelf tācna. Ǣlċe mōnað hēo yrnð under ān þǣra tācna. Ān þǣra tācna ys ġehāten ariēs, ꝥ is ramm; ōðer taurus, ꝥ is fearr; ðridda geminī, ꝥ synd ġetwisan; fēorða cancer, ꝥ is crabba; fīfta lēo; syxta virgō, ꝥ is mǣden; seofoða lībra, þæt is pund oððe wǣġe; eahtoðe scorpius, ꝥ is þrōwend; nigoða is sagittārius, ꝥ is sċytta; tēoða ys capricornus, ꝥ is buccan horn, oððe bucca; endlyfta is aquārius, ꝥ is wætergyte, oððe þe þe wæter ġȳt; twelfte is piscēs, ꝥ synd fixas.

     A year of the sun is when she passes around the Zodiac circle and moves under each of the twelve signs. Each month runs under one of the signs. The first of the signs is called aries, that is "ram"; the second is taurus, that is "bull"; the third is gemini, that is "twins"; the fourth is cancer, that is "crab"; the fifth is lion; the sixth is virgo, that is "virgin"; the seventh is libra, that is "pound" or "scales"; eighth is scorpious, that is "scorpion"; ninth is sagittarius, that is "shooter"; tenth is capricornus, that is "he-goat's horn" or "he-goat"; eleventh is aquarius, that is "pouring water" or "one that pours water"; twelfth is pisces, that is "fishes."

2. battering ram
   • c. 995, Ælfric, Excerptiones De Arte Grammatica Anglice

     Sume synd omonima, id sunt vnivoca, ða ġetācniað mā þinga mid ānre clypunge: ariēs byð ram betwux sċēapum and ram tō wealġeweorce, and ariēs ys ān ðāra twelf tācna.

     Some words signify multiple things with one name: aries is a ram among sheep and a ram for taking down walls, and Aries is a sign of the Zodiac.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	ramm	rammas
accusative	ramm	rammas
genitive	rammes	ramma
dative	ramme	rammum

Descendants

• Middle English: ramme, ram, rom
  • English: ram
  • Scots: ram