cram

¹

[ kram ]

verb (used with object)

, crammed, cram·ming.

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.

verb (used without object)

, crammed, cram·ming.

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

[ kram ]

noun

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

Cram

¹

/ kræm /

noun

1. CramSteve1960MEnglishSPORT AND GAMES: runner Steve. born 1960, English middle-distance runner: European 1500 m champion (1981, 1986); world 1500 m champion (1983)

cram

²

/ 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

noun

1. the act or condition of cramming
2. a crush

Other Words From

• cramming·ly adverb
• well-crammed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cram¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cram¹

Old English crammian; related to Old Norse kremja to press

Example Sentences

And the world’s media are crammed onto hotel balconies and the parks and beaches surrounding Mar-a-Lago, where security is at fortress levels.

From BBC

Many of them are crammed together in government-run shelters and empty buildings.

From BBC

To begin there already “normalizes” this race by cramming it into a familiar and reassuring political template.

From Salon

The court heard how the gang overloaded the small boats, sometimes cramming up to 15 times more people on board than they were designed to carry.

From BBC

But while it might have been possible to cram in more beds, finding the extra skilled workers to staff them was far more difficult.

From BBC

Related Words

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