cram

¹

[kram]

verb (used with object)

crammed, cramming 

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, cramming 

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

Other Word Forms

• crammingly 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

Aid groups, UN agencies and others say the "humanitarian area" they are expected to move to is heavily overcrowded and insufficient to support the roughly 2 million Palestinians who are expected to cram into it.

From BBC

When they opened the door, they found 10 other hikers already crammed inside.

From Los Angeles Times

There's a crammed schedule squeezed into a day and a half, most of it dedicated to royal spectacles.

From BBC

It's too much for the police to carry: they already have evacuees and their belongings crammed inside the white van.

From BBC

The linemen crammed their knees under tiny tables, leading to much table banging.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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