Scram Definition

skrăm
scrammed, scramming, scrams
verb
scrammed, scrams
To leave or get out, esp. in a hurry.
Webster's New World
To manually or automatically shut down (a nuclear reactor) usually by using the control rods.
Webster's New World
To shut down automatically. Used of a nuclear reactor.
American Heritage
Antonyms:
noun
Such a shutdown of a nuclear reactor.
Webster's New World
Alternative spelling of SCRAM.
Wiktionary

Origin of Scram

  • Originally an acronym for Safety Control Rod Axe Man, a term used to refer to the person assigned to the duty of dropping the boron control rods into the "pile" at the University of Chicago in case of emergency. This task was accomplished by cutting the supporting ropes with an axe and allowing the rods to drop into the core by natural gravitational forces.

    From Wiktionary

  • from dialect German schramm, imperative singular form of schrammen (“graze").

    From Wiktionary

  • Back-formation from SCRAM; most etymologies are backronyms.

    From Wiktionary

  • formed by abbreviation of scramble by apocope; or

    From Wiktionary

  • Unclear, conflicting sources are probably backronyms.

    From Wiktionary

  • Perhaps short for scramble

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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