Middle English Dictionary Entry
ram n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ram n. Also ram(m)e, rām, rom, rem & (in place names, before t) ramp-, remp- & (errors) rompne, rayne, reyne; sg.gen. rames, etc. & rameis & (in names) romes. |
| Etymology | OE ramm |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
A male sheep, ram; also, a wether; rames horn (skin, wol); ~ skit, as a term of abuse: the droppings of a ram.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)80.22/3 : Hure wos þu scealt on rammes horn ȝehealdan.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)18/10 : Wið wearras & wið swulas, blac rammes wulon..aled on þat sara stowe.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)551/3 : Aries, rom.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)404 : Hurtonur rute ierce; Ram blismyth a yeue.
- (1381) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.4 : John Remmesbury..hath deliuered to william Hunte..vii Ewen and vii Rames and xlvii hogges.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.81 : Pigmei..rideþ vppon wetheres and rammes to fiȝte wiþ cranes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)263b/b : The Ram [L Aries] is a beste þat bereþ wolle, plesynge in herte and mylde by kynde..and is duk, leder, and prince of schiepe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264a/a : The rammes skynnes suffreþ and sustieneþ violente craftes of coriours, of parchemeners passynge felles and skynnes of oþre schiepe and is more able to fonge and to holde pryntynge and payntynge of dyuerse coloures.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1786 : Þar suam, Side and side, wolf and ram.
- (1419) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.334 : [John Burgeys..has a pig and a] remm.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)69a/a : Veruex: a ram or a weþer.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)240/22 : William counseillede..þat the hede be bounden after the byndinge of þe hede wiþ a coyfe of a rammes skyn [*Ch.(1): shepe skyn; L pelle arietina].
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102a : Þe ram renneth bakward to fecche þe strenger strook, wiþ his heed aȝenst hym þat wiþstondeþ hym.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)200 : They schulde have in hyr hondys ij stavys of grene hasche..at the ende a bat..And in that othyr ende a horne of yryn, i-made lyke unto a rammys horne, as scharpe at the smalle ende as hit myght be made; And there whyþe they schulde make hyr foule batayle.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)102a : A Rame: Aries, vervex.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)29/217 : We! hold thi tong, ram-skyt, or I shall the still.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)561 : Wee fil into most wielde bestis..whiche in manere of Rammes token their cours agenst men, and overcam many with their knyghtly helmes, betyng with their hornes overtrade and beete.
1b.
(a) A ram used as a sacrifice, or in a covenant ceremony; (b) a ram given as a prize (to the winner of a wrestling match); (c) the ram that bore the Golden Fleece; (d) a representation of a ram (on a seal); rames hed, an engraved or sculptured image of a ram's head; (e) in proverbs and comparisons.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1136 : Þe ramm wass offredd forr þe preost, To clennsenn himm off sinne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)263b/b : The ram was principalliche a clene beste boþe to sacrifice and to mete, ffor he was offred couenabliche for synne of þe poeple.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.15.9 : Take thou to me a cow of thre ȝeer, and a geet of thre ȝeer, and a ram [WB(1): wethir] of thre ȝeer.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Job 42.8 : Take ȝe to ȝou seuene bolis and seuene rammes [WB(1): wetheris]..and offre ȝe brent sacrifice.
- c1475 Brm.Abraham (Brm)323,328 : Sum of thy hevynes for to departe, A fayyr ram ȝynder I gan brynge..Goo, make thy sacryfece wyth ȝon rame.
b
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.144 : A la lute dereynetz le toup [glossed:] Wyn the ram [vrr. rom, raam] atte wrestli.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.548 : At wrastlynge he wolde haue alwey the ram.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1931 : Of wrastlyng was ther noon his peer, Ther any ram shal stonde.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)280-81 : Tho þat wardeynes were of þat wrastlyng Come and broughte Gamelyn þe ram and þe ryng, And seyden, 'Haue, Gamelyn þe ryng and þe ram For þe best wrasteler.'
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.258 : In Colchos..With-Inne an Ile enclosed was a Ram Whiche bare his flees ful richely of golde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2437 : I rede þat ȝe nat presume Þe Ram tassaile.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3192 : He and Hercules also..by hir contre Cam For tacomplyssh þe conquest of the Ram.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1427 : In an yle that called was Colcos..was a ram..That hadde a fles of gold.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)3528 : Duke Iason..went Ther to conquere..The Ram that bar the flees of golde.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)369 : The Ram of Colcos bar a flees of gold.
d
- (1459) Paston2.178 : I send my seruaunt Colyn Newman to yow with my signet sealid in a litell bagge of leddre vndre a signett of a ramme.
- (1467) Paston2.568 : Sir John Fastolf seel of his armes and hys signet..were sellyd in a purse with a signet of a figure of a ram.
- (1472) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum5 : Item, j Lytell Chalice with his patent, both of silver passel gilt, with a crucifixe And a Rammes hede in the fote of hym, both gilt.
e
- ?c1325 A levedy and my (ArmsAr 27)p.19 : Stod y in my stirop streyt..As ryt as ramis orn.
- a1500 Add.37075 Prov.(Add 37075)277 : Hyt ys as ryȝth as a rameys horne [L sicut cornu].
- a1450(a1449) Lydg.RHorn (Hnt EL 26.A.13)16 : There loue conueyed -- right as a rames horne.
- a1450(a1449) Lydg.RHorn (Hnt EL 26.A.13)40 : For to afferme this dite by processe Hit is conueied -- right as a rammes horn.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1725 : Yit is þere a poynt of prophecie how þe peuple construeth And museth on þe meruailles..And redith as right as þe Ram is hornyd.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)152 : The Pardoner & þe Miller..Pyrid fast & pourid, hiȝe oppon the glase..And a red also right as Rammys hornyd.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)50/31 : They..hurteled togydirs lyke too rammes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)323/13 : They toke their bere as hit had bene two rammys and horled togydyrs.
2.
Astron. The first sign of the zodiac, Aries.
Associated quotations
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.8 : The yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.386 : Vp riseth fresshe Canacee hir selue, As rody and bright as dooth the yonge sonne That in the ram [vr. Rampne] is foure degrees vp ronne.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)574 : Nest thise foresayd Phebus' twelue..dwellyng placys Sundryly apperyd..The twelue syngnys off the yere..As the Ram, the qwyght Bole, the Tweyn Bredyr.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)35 : In januari be þe signe þei clepe aquari, in februari be þe fischis, in march be þe ram.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)27/6 : Ver bigynneth whan þe sonne entrith into the signe of þe Ram.
3.
(a) A pile-driving machine; also, the weight or hammering head on such a machine; (b) a battering ram.
Associated quotations
a
- (1256) in Salzman Building in Engl.86 : Rammes.
- (1324) in Salzman Building in Engl.86 : [Driving piles in the foundation with a great engine called] ram.
- (1348) in Salzman Building in Engl.86 : Pro iij bideux pro le ram.
- (1350) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.262 : [Two engines with three] rammes, [for ramming the piles of the said bridge].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)422 : Ramme, ynstrument to ram wythe: Pilus.
- (1473) in Salzman Building in Engl.86 : [A machine called a] Fallyng Ramme.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)96a : Olde werriours in olde tyme ne wolde not make..here toures foure square, bote þey vsede to make her toures rounde to voyde þe strook of þe raam.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)101b : Here ben rehersed þe names of gynnes & ordenaunces þat a citee or a castelle may ben assailled wiþ in euery side, þat is to seie, snayles, rammes, sithes or hokes.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102a : Somtyme þe forhed of þis beem is I-schod wiþ yren square; and þan is he cleped þe Ram or þe tope..So feccheþ þis beem his strook aȝenst þe wal þat stant byfore hym.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2277 : Thus mad a wal, the ram may nat offende, For thaugh he fronte awey this vttir cruste, The grounde is stronge ynough with him to juste.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2400 : When the frount is mad to breke & brese, It is a ram for that similitude, To rush vppon the wal and al to crese The stuf in it.
4.
In an alliterating phrase, without special meaning.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.43 : I kan nat geste 'rom, ram [vr. raf], ruf' by lettre.
5.
In names [it is never wholly certain whether the element ram in names is from OE ramm or some other OE word, e.g., hræfn, hramser, regin]: (a) in surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem.2.80].
Associated quotations
a
- (1188) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames289 : Hendricus Ram.
- (1200) in Wallenberg PNKent349 : De Ramesden.
- (1219) CRR(2) 853 : Arnolfus Ram.
- (1267) Pat.R.Hen.III63 : Ralph le Ram.
- (1306) Plea R.Edw.I in WSAS 7156 : Johannes Rammesheved.
- (1307) Let.Bk.Lond.C (Gldh LetBk C)208 : William atte Ramme.
- (1308) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.11320 : John Ram.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7199 : Ranulphus Ramm.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7226 : Johannes Romesheved.
- (1369) in Wallenberg PNKent122 : Joh. Ram.
- -?-(1379) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9676 : Hogynus Rameshed, chapman.
b
- (1086) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)183 : Ramtune.
- (1247) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)183 : Rampton.
- (1292) in Ekwall PNLan.203 : Rameshede.
- (1315) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)183 : Rampton Brigge.
- (1324) in Ekwall PNLan.64 : Romesbothum.
- (1377-8) Doc.Thaxted in Ess.ROP 3381 : Rammes.
- (1401) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.99 : Le Rammesole.
- (1403) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)183 : Rempton.
- (1411-12) Rec.Norwich 258 : [At the] Rammesheed [in Chepe].
- (1412) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.242 : Le Ram on the Hope.