cram

¹ American  

[kram] / kræm /

verb (used with object)

crammed, cramming

1. to fill (something) by force with more than it can easily hold.

   Synonyms:

   overcrowd, compress, squeeze, pack, crowd

2. to force or stuff (usually followed by into, down, etc.).

3. to fill with or as with an excessive amount of food; overfeed.

   Synonyms:

   glut

4. Informal.

   1. to prepare (a person), as for an exam, by having them memorize information within a short period of time.

   2. to acquire knowledge of (a subject) by so preparing oneself.

5. Archaic. to tell lies to.

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verb (used without object)

crammed, cramming

1. to eat greedily or to excess.

   Synonyms:

   gorge

2. to study for an examination by memorizing facts at the last minute.

3. to press or force accommodation in a room, vehicle, etc., beyond normal or comfortable capacity; crowd; jam.

   The whole team crammed into the bus.

noun

1. Informal. the act of preparing for an exam by memorizing information within a short time period.

2. an excessively full state.

3. a dense crowd; throng.

Cram ² American  

[kram] / kræm /

noun

1. Ralph Adams, 1863–1942, U.S. architect and writer.

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cram ¹ British  

/ kræm /

verb

1. (tr) to force (people, material, etc) into (a room, container, etc) with more than it can hold; stuff

2. to eat or cause to eat more than necessary

3. informal to study or cause to study (facts, etc), esp for an examination, by hastily memorizing

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noun

1. the act or condition of cramming

2. a crush

Cram ² British  

/ kræm /

noun

1. Steve. born 1960, English middle-distance runner: European 1500 m champion (1981, 1986); world 1500 m champion (1983)

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Other Word Forms

• crammingly adverb
• well-crammed adjective

Etymology

Origin of cram

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crammen, Old English crammian “to stuff,” akin to crimman “to put in”

Example Sentences

He is among the 400,000 people expected to cram the causeways, beaches and motel balconies of Florida's Space Coast for the launch attempt of Artemis II tonight.

From BBC

A sliver of doubt wriggles around in my brain, cramming itself next to my wedge of loyalty.

From Literature

The walls were lined with shelves and crammed with jars of all shapes and colors, gathered from Deadwood Dump and filled with dried fungi.

From Literature

If it seems like Chinese battery-makers are cramming for final exams, they are.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Tyre's old city, people are crammed into a Christian district that has not been ordered to evacuate, and into a few schools.

From Barron's

Related Words

• crowd
• load
• overcrowd
• pack
• ram
• shove
• squeeze
• stuff
• wedge