First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1ram
noun \ˈram\
: an adult male sheep
: a piece of machinery that is used to hit or lift something else
Full Definition of RAM
1
a : a male sheep b capitalized : aries
2
a : battering ram b : a warship with a heavy beak at the prow for piercing an enemy ship
3
: any of various guided pieces for exerting pressure or for driving or forcing something by impact: as a : the plunger of a hydrostatic press or force pump b : the weight that strikes the blow in a pile driver
See ram defined for English-language learners
See ram defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of RAM
Middle English, from Old English ramm; akin to Old High German ram
2ram
verb
: to forcefully hit something
: to cause (something) to forcefully hit something
: to push (something) into a position or place with force
rammedram·ming
Full Definition of RAM
intransitive verb
1
: to strike with violence : crash
2
: to move with extreme rapidity
transitive verb
1
: to force in by or as if by driving
3
: to force passage or acceptance of <ram home an idea>
4
: to strike against violently
— ram·mer noun
See ram defined for English-language learners
Origin of RAM
Middle English rammen, probably from ram, noun
First Known Use: 14th century
RAM
noun \ˈram\
computers : the part of a computer in which information is stored temporarily when a program is being used
Full Definition of RAM
: a computer memory on which data can be both read and written and on which the location of data does not affect the speed of its retrieval; especially : RAM that acts as the main storage available to the user for programs and data —called also random-access memory — compare rom
See RAM defined for English-language learners
See RAM defined for kids
Origin of RAM
random-access memory
First Known Use: 1957
RAMMED Defined for Kids
1ram
verb \ˈram\
rammedram·ming
Definition of RAM for Kids
1
: to strike or strike against with violence <… I rammed my elbow back into my best friend's chest. — Jerry Spinelli, Crash>
2
: to force in, down, or together by driving or pressing <He rammed clothes into a suitcase.>
3
: 2force 2 <The law was rammed through Congress.>
2ram
noun
RAM
noun \ˈram\
Definition of RAM for Kids
: a computer memory that provides the main storage available to the user for programs and data
Medical Dictionary
ram
noun \ˈram\
Medical Definition of RAM
: a male sheep
Learn More About RAM
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up ram? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).