ream

¹

[reem]

noun

1. a standard quantity of paper, consisting of 20 quires or 500 sheets (formerly 480 sheets), or 516 sheets printer's ream, or perfect ream.

2. Usually reams. a large quantity.

   He has written reams of poetry.

ream

²

[reem]

verb (used with object)

1. to enlarge to desired size (a previously bored hole) by means of a reamer.

2. to clear with a reamer; remove or press out by reaming.

3. to extract the juice from.

   to ream an orange.

4. Slang.

   1. to scold or reprimand severely (usually followed byout ).

   2. to cheat; defraud.

ream

¹

/ riːm /

noun

1. a number of sheets of paper, formerly 480 sheets ( short ream ), now 500 sheets ( long ream ) or 516 sheets ( printer's ream or perfect ream ). One ream is equal to 20 quires

2. informal,  (often plural) a large quantity, esp of written matter

   he wrote reams

ream

²

/ riːm /

verb

1. to enlarge (a hole) by use of a reamer

2. to extract (juice) from (a citrus fruit) using a reamer

Word History and Origins

Origin of ream¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English rem(e), from Middle French reime, rame, from Spanish rezma, from Arabic rizmah “bale”

Origin of ream²

First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of ream¹

C14: from Old French raime , from Spanish rezma , from Arabic rizmah bale

Origin of ream²

C19: perhaps from C14 remen to open up, from Old English rӯman to widen

Example Sentences

Security officials at the time said the case was a slam dunk, alluding to reams of compromising communications between the two men.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

To do this, you have to feed it reams of data and know which dials to adjust—and by how much.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Of all the reams of words publicly spilled at Lakers media day Monday, only one really mattered.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

English flags, Korean spirits, reams of VHS tape and apocalyptic war zones all feature in works by the artists whose installations are going on show in this year's Turner Prize exhibition this weekend.

Read more on BBC

If the court declines to grant an acquittal, his attorneys argued that a new trial is required due to "severe spillover prejudice from reams of inflammatory evidence".

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Related Words

• batch 
• bundle 
• scad 
• stack 
• ton