R.A.M.

Royal Academy of Music.

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abbrev

Relative atomic mass

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ram «ram», noun, verb, rammed, ram|ming.

–n.

1. a male sheep.

2. a machine part of a machine that strikes heavy blows, such as the plunger of a force pump, the weight of a pile driver, or the piston of a hydraulic press: »

The central part of the ram of the press (the “mandrel”) pushes downwards and forces a hole right through the billet (F. A. Fox).

3. a beak at the bow of a warship, used to break through the sides of enemy ships.

4. a ship with such a beak.

5. a pump in which the force of a descending column of water raises some of the water above its original level.

6. = battering ram. (Cf. ↑battering ram)

╂[Old English ramm]

–v.t.

1. to butt against; strike head-on; strike violently: »

One ship rammed the other ship. I rammed my head against the door in the dark.

2. to push hard; drive down or in by heavy blows: »

to ram piles.

3. to cram, stuff, or thrust: »

He rammed all his clothes into the suitcase.

4. to push (a charge) into a firearm or cannon, especially through the muzzle with a ramrod.

5. Figurative. to push or force: »

He tried to ram through drastic economic and social reforms (Time).

–v.i.

1. to crash: »

The skidding car rammed into a fence.

2. to move very fast: »

The motorcyclists rammed down the open highway.

╂[Middle English rammen to tamp down earth, perhaps < ram, noun]

Ram «ram», noun.

Aries, a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac.

╂[< ram]

RAM (no periods),

1. random-access memory: »

Appropriately programmed RAM's can store any program in the machine (New Scientist).

2. reverse annuity mortgage.

R.A.M.,

1. Royal Academy of Music.

2. Royal Arch Mason.