ream

1 of 2

noun

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

ream

2 of 2

verb

reamed; reaming; reams

transitive verb

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 (something, such 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 (a fruit, such as an orange) with a reamer
3
4
: reprimand
often used with out
reams out his players so severelyAlexander Wolff

Examples of ream in a Sentence

Verb He got reamed in the press for his comments. reamed a whole new generation of suckers with a variation of the Ponzi scheme
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Sure, the films have always had human casts to fight the creatures or flee from them or deliver reams of exposition about them. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Nov. 2023 But their former Mazars accountant testified in October that his firm merely compiled reams of financial information provided to them by the Trumps and their company. Graham Kates, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2023 Given the overwhelming amount of visual data, the unit’s engineers code algorithms to train computers to process and interpret the reams of data into actionable intelligence— everything from long stretches of desert to dense urban areas. Dan Senor, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2023 Hiding in the reams of data gathered by the Cassini spacecraft are hints that Saturn wasn’t born with its iconic rings. Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023 Government lawyers offered reams of documentary evidence backing up their key witnesses, and defense attorneys appeared to struggle to poke holes in the prosecution’s case. Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2023 Just check out the reams and reams of glowing reviews. Kat Romero, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2023 Getting a peek at audience dynamics on streaming hubs like Netflix, Max or Peacock isn’t as easy to do as sifting through reams of Nielsen audience results. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Oct. 2023 Prosecutors have backed up that testimony with reams of documentary evidence. Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2023
Verb
Even after getting reamed out by his fellow-Republicans, Tuberville refused to relent on his blockade. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2023 Teams reaming in the men's NCAA tournament face off Thursday night with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line. Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023 Nelson remembers getting reamed by a coach for the cross-up. Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2023 During our Wednesday phone calls, Freddie would ream me out for bad posture. Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, Peoplemag, 18 Jan. 2023 There are a multitude of tools to ream or swage the crimp out of the primer pocket. Bryce M. Towsley, Field & Stream, 23 June 2020 But when you get reamed in a sketch or online or however, that s--t stings. Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, 22 Dec. 2019 Drenched in dread, Wyeth’s story is told mainly by an anonymous narrator via 84 flashback scenes reamed with abrupt, enigmatic silences. J. Michael Lennon, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2019 During Pike’s first year as a starter, he was frequently reamed out on the sideline by Kelly for not making what Kelly thought was the correct read. Bill Koch, Cincinnati.com, 11 Oct. 2019 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Verb

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

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ream was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ream

Cite this Entry

“Ream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ream. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

ream

1 of 2 noun
1
: a quantity of paper that may equal 480, 500, or 516 sheets
2
: a great amount
usually used in plural
reams of notes

ream

2 of 2 verb
: to shape, make larger, or smooth out with a reamer
Etymology

Noun

Middle English reme "a quantity of paper," from early French reme (same meaning), from Arabic rizma, literally, "bundle"

Verb

probably from Old English rēman "to open up"

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