ream

¹ream

noun \ˈrēm\

Definition of REAM

1

: a quantity of paper being 20 quires or variously 480, 500, or 516 sheets

2

: a great amount —usually used in plural <reams of information>

Origin of REAM

Middle English reme, from Anglo-French, ultimately from Arabic rizma, literally, bundle

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Paper Terms

folio, palimpsest, quire

Rhymes with REAM

beam, bream, cream, deem, deme, dream, gleam, meme, neem, Nîmes, scheme, scream, seam, seem, seme, steam, stream, team, teem, theme

²ream

transitive verb

Definition of REAM

1

a : to widen the opening of (a hole) : countersink

b (1) : to enlarge, shape, or smooth out (a hole) with a reamer (2) : to enlarge the bore of (as a gun) in this way

c : to remove by reaming

2

a : to press out with a reamer

b : to press out the juice of (as an orange) with a reamer

3

: cheat, victimize

4

: reprimand —often used with out <reams out his players so severely — Alexander Wolff>

Examples of REAM

1. He got reamed in the press for his comments.
2. <reamed a whole new generation of suckers with a variation of the Ponzi scheme>

Origin of REAM

perhaps from Middle English *remen to open up, from Old English rēman; akin to Old English rȳman to open up, rūm space — more at room

First Known Use: 1815

Related to REAM

Synonyms

beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, flimflam, gaff, gyp, hose [slang], hustle, mulct, nobble [British slang], pluck, fleece, rip off, rook, screw, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize

Related Words

extort, wrench, wrest, wring; clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak; exploit, milk; deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick; rope (in); betray, bitch, double-cross; bamboozle, fast-talk

Other Handicraft Terms

biscuit, darn, tambour, wrought