ream

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See also: Ream and réam

English[edit]

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Pronunciation[edit]

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Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English reme, rem, from Old English rēam (“cream”), from Proto-Germanic *raumaz (“cream”), from Proto-Indo-European *rewgʰmn̥- (“to sour [milk]”). Cognate with Dutch room (“cream, sour cream”), German Rahm (“cream”), Norwegian rømme (“sour cream”), Icelandic rjómi (“cream”). See also ramekin.

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

ream (plural reams)

  1. (Britain dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general.

Verb[edit]

ream (third-person singular simple present reams, present participle reaming, simple past and past participle reamed)

  1. (Britain dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) To cream; mantle; foam; froth.
    • Sir Walter Scott
      a huge pewter measuring pot which, in the language of the hostess, reamed with excellent claret

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English remen, rimen, rümen (“to open up”), from Old English rȳman (“to make roomy, extend, widen, spread, enlarge, amplify, prolong, clear, open up, make clear by removing obstructions, to clear a way”), from Proto-Germanic *rūmijaną (“to make roomy, give room, remove”), from Proto-Indo-European *row- (“free space”). Cognate with Dutch ruimen (“to empty, evacuate”), German räumen (“to make room”), Icelandic rýma (“to make room, clear”). More at room.

Alternative forms[edit]

Verb[edit]

ream (third-person singular simple present reams, present participle reaming, simple past and past participle reamed)

  1. To enlarge a hole, especially using a reamer; to bore a hole wider.
  2. To shape or form, especially using a reamer.
  3. To remove (material) by reaming.
  4. To remove burrs and debris from a freshly bored hole.
  5. (slang) To yell at or berate.
  6. (slang, vulgar) To sexually penetrate in a rough and painful way, by analogy with definition 1.
Translations[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

From Middle English reeme, from Old French raime, rayme (“ream”) (French rame), from Arabic رِزْمَة‎ (rizma, “bundle”).

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

ream (plural reams)

  1. A bundle, package, or quantity of paper, nowadays usually containing 500 sheets.
  2. (chiefly in the plural) An abstract large amount of something.
    I can't go – I still have reams of work left.
Coordinate terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Friulian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Probably from Latin regimen, regimine. Compare French royaume (Old French reaume, reiame), Occitan reialme, Romansh reginam.

Noun[edit]

ream

  1. kingdom

Related terms[edit]

Latin[edit]

Noun[edit]

ream f

  1. accusative singular of rea

Old English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *raumaz. Cognate with Middle Low German rōm, Middle Dutch room, Old High German roum (German Rahm), Old Norse rjúmi (Icelandic rjómi, Norwegian rømme).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

rēam m

  1. cream

Descendants[edit]

Scots[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

ream (uncountable)

  1. (food): cream
  2. (ointment): cream
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