ream

¹ American  

[reem] / rim /

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.

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ream ² American  

[reem] / rim /

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.

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ream ¹ British  

/ 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

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ream ² British  

/ riːm /

verb

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

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

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Etymology

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

Explanation

A ream is a quantity of paper sold in a bundle, once comprised of 480 sheets but now rounded up to 500. If you write reams of love letters to your beloved, I hope she appreciates them. Or at least recycles. The word ream has two distinct meanings, depending on whether you use it as a noun or a verb. As a noun, it refers to an amount of paper, its origin from the Arabic rizmah, or "bundle." As a verb, ream is a rough word that can mean "to make a hole in" or "to squeeze." When you "ream someone out" you give them a scolding.

Example Sentences

But the best way to go into moving any money is to learn as much as you can about how any changes will affect your situation before you sign a ream of papers.

From Salon • Oct. 28, 2024

"I shouldn't need to be looking in September at what supermarket chain has the cheapest ream of paper so I can ask parents to buy a ream per child."

From BBC • May 24, 2023

It involved sometimes a whole ream of paper on an electric typewriter just to get the first sentence.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 25, 2022

No famous person is as adept as Lil Nas X at casually but thoroughly smacking down the ream of Twitter churls inevitably awakened by something like this — maybe Cardi B, or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

From New York Times • Mar. 30, 2021

He brought his handkerchief out of his pocket to ream the sweat, carefully, out of one eye socket and then the other.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• batch
• bundle
• scad
• stack
• ton