ream Hear it!

ream¹ Definition

ream (rēm)

noun

  1. a unit of measure for a quantity of paper: the quantity varies from 480 sheets (20 quires) to 516 sheets, depending on the manufacturer
  2. Informal a great amount

Etymology: ME rem < MFr raime < It risma < Ar rizma, bale, packet < razama, to pack together

ream² Definition

ream (rēm)

transitive verb

    1. to enlarge (a hole) as with a reamer
    2. to enlarge the bore of (a gun)
  1. to countersink or taper (a hole)
  2. to remove (a defect) with a reamer
  3. ☆ to extract the juice from (a lemon, orange, etc.)
  4. to use a reamer on (a pipe bowl)
  5. Slang
    1. to cheat or deceive
    2. to scold; berate: often with out

Etymology: ME dial. remen < OE reman, akin to ryman, lit., to make roomy < base of rum: see room

ream Usage Examples

Object

  • hole: For cold rivets very tight fits are often provided by using reamed holes.
  • language: CRITICAL ACCLAIM ' Woodrell alternates between reaming the language with a dry corncob and practicing a particularly skillful kind of literary cabinetwork.

Converse of object

  • write: Over the following weeks, she wrote reams of words, pouring her feelings out onto the page.
  • produce: Your architect will spend an enormous amount of time producing reams of drawings; they could be working with you for years.
  • read: Earlier I stated that I have read reams of emerging church articles.
  • take: However, to produce the Web site in a hard copy would take almost a ream of paper.
  • have: If anyone can possibly explain why a practice should have reams of protocols on such issues as fraud - please do let me know.
  • use: It is estimated that this uses a ream of paper every 2 days and 10 mins of staff time.

Adjective modifier

  • endless: We will not supply endless reams of CVs for you to wade through.
  • whole: By way of example, Robert Maas posed the question: was it wrong to steal a whole ream of paper from your employer?
  • many: There are good ones and bad marginals but that is the subject of many more reams.
  • more: Thus, subjecting us to yet more ream of apocrypha under the guise, no doubt, of God given prophesy.

Modifies a noun

  • weight: The conversion between ream weight depends on the basis sheet size, to convert from ream weight to gsm use the following multipliers.

Modifying Another Word

  • then: The Cylinder bores are then reamed out to the required size.

Preposition: of

  • paperwork: I would much rather take full responsibility for what I'm doing myself, than have to put up with reams of compliance paperwork.
  • paper: We would no longer have to plow through reams of paper to find out about the results of a certain member of staff.
  • documentation: Many of these proposed specific boundaries or at least critiqued specific boundaries, in addition to producing maps and reams of other documentation.
  • datum: She didn't notice the wall charts, diagrams and reams of data around her in the room.
  • text: Compared to the older text books with their reams of text, this book forms a welcome relief.
  • evidence: Saying that there is no evidence that Jesus claimed divinity can only be managed by ignoring reams of evidence, or by facile dismissal.

Browse dictionary entries near ream

  1. realty
  2. Realtor
  3. realpolitik
  4. realm
  5. Really Simple Syndication
  6. really
  7. realizing
  8. realized
  9. realize
  10. realization
  1. reamer
  2. reanimate
  3. reap
  4. reaper
  5. reappear
  6. reapportion
  7. reapportionment
  8. reappraise
  9. rear
  10. rear admiral