REAM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ream mean? 

• REAM (noun)
  The noun REAM has 2 senses:

1. a large quantity of written matter

2. a quantity of paper; 480 or 500 sheets; one ream equals 20 quires

  Familiarity information: REAM used as a noun is rare.

• REAM (verb)
  The verb REAM has 3 senses:

1. squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer

2. remove by making a hole or by boring

3. enlarge with a reamer

  Familiarity information: REAM used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REAM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A large quantity of written matter

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Context example:

he wrote reams and reams

Hypernyms ("ream" is a kind of...):

large indefinite amount; large indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A quantity of paper; 480 or 500 sheets; one ream equals 20 quires

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("ream" is a kind of...):

definite quantity (a specific measure of amount)

Meronyms (parts of "ream"):

quire (a quantity of paper; 24 or 25 sheets)

• REAM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they ream    ... he / she / it reams   
Past simple: reamed   
Past participle: reamed   
-ing form: reaming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

ream oranges

Hypernyms (to "ream" is one way to...):

express; extract; press out (obtain from a substance, as by mechanical action)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

reamer (a squeezer with a conical ridged center that is used for squeezing juice from citrus fruit)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Remove by making a hole or by boring

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

the dentist reamed out the debris in the course of the root canal treatment

Hypernyms (to "ream" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Verb group:

ream (enlarge with a reamer)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Enlarge with a reamer

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

ream a hole

Hypernyms (to "ream" is one way to...):

enlarge (make larger)

Verb group:

ream (remove by making a hole or by boring)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

reamer (a drill that is used to shape or enlarge holes)

 Context examples 

“He'd write letters by the ream, if it was a capital offence!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

That’s when Vaz got the idea to look for ripples within the reams of data Dr. Zaghloul’s team had been collecting from patients.

(Our brains may ripple before remembering, National Institutes of Health)

His best stories, essays, and poems went begging among them, and yet, each month, he read reams of dull, prosy, inartistic stuff between all their various covers.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)