Jump To:

• ram
  ram

  noun

  a male sheep.
• RAM
  RAM

  noun

  random-access memory; computer memory available to the user for creating, loading, or running programs and for the temporary storage and manipulation of data, in which time of access to each item is independent of the storage sequence. As a storage medium, RAM is volatile, so its contents are lost when the power fails or is turned off.
• R.A.M.
  R.A.M.

  abbreviation

  Royal Academy of Music.
• Ram
  Ram

  noun

  the constellation Aries, the first sign of the zodiac
• r.a.m.
  r.a.m.

  abbreviation

  relative atomic mass

ram

¹ American  

[ram] / ræm /

noun

1. a male sheep.

2. Astronomy, Astrology. Aries, the constellation or sign of Aries.

3. any of various devices for battering, crushing, driving, or forcing something, especially a battering ram.

4. (formerly) a heavy beak or spur projecting from the bow of a warship for penetrating the hull of an enemy's ship.

5. (formerly) a warship so equipped, especially one used primarily for ramming enemy vessels.

6. the heavy weight that strikes the blow in a pile driver or the like.

7. a piston, as on a hydraulic press.

8. a reciprocating part of certain machine tools, as the toolholder of a slotter or shaper.

9. hydraulic ram.

---

verb (used with object)

rams, present (3rd person singular) rammed, past participle, past ramming present participle

1. to drive or force by heavy blows.

   Synonyms:

   hammer, beat, thrust, jam

2. to strike with great force; dash violently against.

   The car went out of control and rammed the truck.

3. to cram; stuff.

   They rammed the gag into his mouth.

4. to push firmly.

   to ram a bill through the Senate.

5. to force (a charge) into a firearm, as with a ramrod.

ram ² American  

[ram] / ræm /

noun

Australian, Now Rare.

1. a confidence man's associate who acts as a decoy; confederate; shill.

---

RAM ³ American  

[ram] / ræm /

noun

1. random-access memory; computer memory available to the user for creating, loading, or running programs and for the temporary storage and manipulation of data, in which time of access to each item is independent of the storage sequence. As a storage medium, RAM is volatile, so its contents are lost when the power fails or is turned off.

---

RAM ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. reverse annuity mortgage.

---

R.A.M. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. Royal Academy of Music.

---

ram ¹ British  

/ ræm /

noun

1. an uncastrated adult sheep

2. a piston or moving plate, esp one driven hydraulically or pneumatically

3. the falling weight of a pile driver or similar device

4. short for battering ram

5. Also called: rostrum.   beak.  a pointed projection in the stem of an ancient warship for puncturing the hull of enemy ships

6. a warship equipped with a ram

7. slang a sexually active man

---

verb

1. to force or drive, as by heavy blows

   to ram a post into the ground

2. (of a moving object) to crash with force (against another object) or (of two moving objects) to collide in this way

   the ships rammed the enemy

3. (tr; often foll by in or down) to stuff or cram (something into a hole, etc)

4. (tr; foll by onto, against etc) to thrust violently

   he rammed the books onto the desk

5. (tr) to present (an idea, argument, etc) forcefully or aggressively (esp in the phrase ram ( something ) down someone's throat )

6. (tr) to drive (a charge) into a firearm

Ram ² British  

/ ræm /

noun

1. the constellation Aries, the first sign of the zodiac

---

RAM ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Royal Academy of Music

---

r.a.m. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. relative atomic mass

---

RAM ⁵ British  

/ ræm /

acronym

1. random access memory: semiconductor memory in which all storage locations can be rapidly accessed in the same amount of time. It forms the main memory of a computer, used by applications to perform tasks while the device is operating

---

RAM Scientific  

/ răm /

1. Short for random access memory. The main memory of a computer, in which data can be stored or retrieved from all locations at the same (usually very high) speed.

2. See also dynamic RAM static RAM

---

RAM Cultural  

1. Acronym for r andom a ccess m emory, which is a type of memory in which a reader can go to a specific item without having to start at the beginning. Random access memories can often be altered once an item is found. (See computer memory and magnetic memory storage; compare ROM.)

---

Discover More

hard drives on a computer are an example of RAM.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ramlike
  adjective
• unrammed
  adjective
• rammer
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has rammed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have rammed
  perfect
• is ramming
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are ramming
  progressive
• have been ramming
  perfect progressive
• ramming
  participle
• rams
  singular 3rd person
• am ramming
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been ramming
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had rammed
  perfect
• were ramming
  progressive plural
• was ramming
  progressive singular
• had been ramming
  perfect progressive
• rammed
  participle
• rammed
  simple

Future

• will ram
  simple
• will have rammed
  perfect
• will have been ramming
  perfect progressive
• will be ramming
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of ram¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun ram, ram(m)e “male sheep, machine for ramming,” Old English ramm, romm; cognate with Dutch, Low German ram, German Ramme; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of ram²

First recorded in 1940–45; origin obscure; possibly from British criminal argot ramp “swindle”

Origin of RAM³

r(andom)-a(ccess) m(emory)

Explanation

A male sheep or goat is called a ram. If you're a fan of reading your horoscope, you might notice that Aries, usually considered the first sign of the zodiac, is represented by a ram. Another kind of ram is a "battering ram," a tool for forcing a heavy door open or breaking a hole in a wall. This kind of ram comes from the male sheep and his powerful horns — and so does the verb ram: "I watched the rams ram their heads into each other as they battled over territory." Some word experts think the word stems from the Old Norse rammr, "strong."

Example Sentences

Ram price has also gone up because of the explosive growth in the data centres which power AI and which need the chip too.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Jeep maker Stellantis, which also makes Ram trucks and Chrysler minivans, is planning seven new cars “under the $40,000 range” and two new car models that will sell for less than $30,000 in coming years.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Stellantis said it would invest 70% of its brand and product investment in four global brands that have the greatest scale and highest potential profitability: Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, and FIAT.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

This week, Ram introduced a new line of gas-powered, performance “muscle trucks.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

“No, Mr. Ram, I’m not finishing it,” I say.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Related Words

• cram
• crash
• run into
• sink
• slam
• smash
• stab
• thrust