ream

¹

[reem]

noun

1. a standard quantity of paper, consisting of 20 quires or 500 sheets (formerly 480 sheets), or 516 sheets printer's ream, or perfect ream.

2. Usually reams. a large quantity.

   He has written reams of poetry.

ream

²

[reem]

verb (used with object)

1. to enlarge to desired size (a previously bored hole) by means of a reamer.

2. to clear with a reamer; remove or press out by reaming.

3. to extract the juice from.

   to ream an orange.

4. Slang.

   1. to scold or reprimand severely (usually followed byout ).

   2. to cheat; defraud.

ream

¹

/ riːm /

noun

1. a number of sheets of paper, formerly 480 sheets ( short ream ), now 500 sheets ( long ream ) or 516 sheets ( printer's ream or perfect ream ). One ream is equal to 20 quires

2. informal,  (often plural) a large quantity, esp of written matter

   he wrote reams

ream

²

/ riːm /

verb

1. to enlarge (a hole) by use of a reamer

2. to extract (juice) from (a citrus fruit) using a reamer

Word History and Origins

Origin of ream¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English rem(e), from Middle French reime, rame, from Spanish rezma, from Arabic rizmah “bale”

Origin of ream²

First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of ream¹

C14: from Old French raime , from Spanish rezma , from Arabic rizmah bale

Origin of ream²

C19: perhaps from C14 remen to open up, from Old English rӯman to widen

Example Sentences

They refused to invest in a country mired in economic turmoil and reams of business restrictions that made it difficult to import equipment and send dollars out of the country.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The BBC airs vast reams of entertainment and sports programming across multiple television and radio stations and online platforms — but it’s the BBC’s news output that is most often under scrutiny.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But his elder brother eventually found that he'd installed a VPN to use Character.ai and they discovered reams and reams of messages.

Read more on BBC

The author has the benefit of Shepard’s writing, which encompasses reams of plays, short stories, and essays, as well as candid insights from friends and collaborators like Johnny Dark and Ethan Hawke.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Hulu’s ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’ and Peacock’s ‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ are based on notorious slayings that received reams of news coverage in their day, but each tells a captivating story.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• batch 
• bundle 
• scad 
• stack 
• ton