Dram

//dɹæm// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A small unit of weight, variously:; Alternative form of drachm (“One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (1.77 g; symbol: ℨ or ʒ)”). alt-of, alternative
  2. 2
    The currency of Armenia, divided into 100 luma.
  3. 3
    Initialism of dynamic random access memory. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
  4. 4
    the basic unit of money in Armenia wordnet
  5. 5
    A small unit of weight, variously:; Alternative form of drachm (“One eighth of an ounce apothecary (3.89 g; symbol: ℨ or ʒ)”). alt-of, alternative
Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    1/16 ounce or 1.771 grams wordnet
  2. 7
    A small unit of weight, variously:; Synonym of dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g). uncommon

    "Dram (49·5 grains), 100=chequi, 4=oka (2·8286 ℔); dram (49·5 grains), 180=rotl, 100=kintal or kantar (127·29 ℔)."

  3. 8
    a unit of apothecary weight equal to an eighth of an ounce or to 60 grains wordnet
  4. 9
    A small unit of weight, variously:; Synonym of drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g). obsolete
  5. 10
    Any similarly minute quantity, (now particularly) a small amount of strong alcohol or poison. broadly

    "a dram of brandy"

  6. 11
    A cart formerly used to haul coal in coal mines. historical

    "The rolling stock, consisting entirely of four-wheel open trucks, or drams, was broken up at Bonvilles Court Colliery."

  7. 12
    Synonym of drachma: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma; other similar coins. obsolete

    "They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams [i.e., the Persian daric] of gold, and five thousand pound of silver […]"

Verb
  1. 1
    To drink drams. dated, intransitive

    "What I contend against is, this dramming, dramming, dramming, at all hours of the day. There are some men who take a glass at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and at four in the afternoon."

  2. 2
    To ply with drams of drink. dated, transitive

    "The parents[…]are getting ready their daughter for sale[…]praying her, and imploring her, and dramming her, and coaxing her."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English dragme, dramme, from Old French dragme, drame, from Late Latin dragma, from Latin drachma, from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “unit of weight; a handful”). Doublet of drachma, diram, dirham, dirhem, and adarme.

Etymology 2

From Middle English dragme, dramme, from Old French dragme, drame, from Late Latin dragma, from Latin drachma, from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “unit of weight; a handful”). Doublet of drachma, diram, dirham, dirhem, and adarme.

Etymology 3

From Armenian դրամ (dram), from Middle Persian 𐭦𐭥𐭦𐭭 (zʿzn /⁠drahm⁠/), from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “unit of weight, a handful”), from δράσσομαι (drássomai, “I hold, seize”).

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: dram