cram

¹

[ kram ]

verb (used with object)

, crammed, cram·ming.

1. to fill (something) by force with more than it can easily hold.

   Synonyms: overcrowd, compress, squeeze, pack, crowd

2. to force or stuff (usually followed by into, down, etc.).
3. to fill with or as with an excessive amount of food; overfeed.

   Synonyms: glut

4. Informal.
   1. to prepare (a person), as for an exam, by having them memorize information within a short period of time.
   2. to acquire knowledge of (a subject) by so preparing oneself.
5. Archaic. to tell lies to.

verb (used without object)

, crammed, cram·ming.

1. to eat greedily or to excess.

   Synonyms: gorge

2. to study for an examination by memorizing facts at the last minute.
3. to press or force accommodation in a room, vehicle, etc., beyond normal or comfortable capacity; crowd; jam:

   The whole team crammed into the bus.

noun

1. Informal. the act of preparing for an exam by memorizing information within a short time period.
2. an excessively full state.
3. a dense crowd; throng.

Cram

²

[ kram ]

noun

1. Ralph Adams, 1863–1942, U.S. architect and writer.

cram

¹

/ kræm /

verb

1. tr to force (people, material, etc) into (a room, container, etc) with more than it can hold; stuff
2. to eat or cause to eat more than necessary
3. informal.
   to study or cause to study (facts, etc), esp for an examination, by hastily memorizing

noun

1. the act or condition of cramming
2. a crush

Cram

²

/ kræm /

noun

1. CramSteve1960MEnglishSPORT AND GAMES: runner Steve. born 1960, English middle-distance runner: European 1500 m champion (1981, 1986); world 1500 m champion (1983)

Other Words From

• cramming·ly adverb
• well-crammed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cram¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crammen, Old English crammian “to stuff,” akin to crimman “to put in”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cram¹

Old English crammian; related to Old Norse kremja to press

Example Sentences

Collins said that most of her knowledge is from “here and there,” so there was no need to cram before the tournament.

From The Daily Beast

Families of four and five cram into one-room shares without running water or reliable electricity.

From The Daily Beast

Workers cram into company-owned dorms known as “man camps” or in trailers or tents.

From The Daily Beast

If you cram that many scantily-clad people onto a beach in hot weather, things are likely to get ugly at some point.

From The Daily Beast

Trying to cram that down into 250 words is fun and challenging.

From The Daily Beast

This is simpler than having to cram and then stand the racket of a competitive examination.

From Project Gutenberg

Still he clung to the little thistledown of hope that he should have plenty of time to cram it before the form were called up.

From Project Gutenberg

They cram as much fruit as they possibly can into their cheek pouches to take away and eat afterwards at their leisure.

From Project Gutenberg

It would indeed be unreasonable to cram into a single genus both superior and inferior things.

From Project Gutenberg

And the speaker subsided into thoughtful silence, and began slowly to cram his pipe.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• crowd
• load
• overcrowd
• pack
• ram
• shove
• squeeze
• stuff
• wedge