What does "ream" mean?
Cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general.
Ream
/ɹiːm/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general.
- Grammar: ream is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: auger, bawl out, beat, berate.
- Useful contrasts: commend, laud, one sheet.
- Usage evidence: She got us exactly one ream of printer paper, which in our office will last about five hours.
How to use "ream"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ream" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ream" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ream" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ream" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ream" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "auger" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ream", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general. Northern-England, Scotland, UK, dialectal
- 2 A bundle, package, or quantity of paper, nowadays usually containing 500 sheets.
- 3 a quantity of paper; 480 or 500 sheets; one ream equals 20 quires wordnet
- 4 An abstract large amount of something. in-plural
"I can't go – I still have reams of work left."
- 5 a large quantity of written matter wordnet
Verb
- 1 To cream; mantle; foam; froth. Northern-England, Scotland, UK, dialectal
"a huge pewter measuring pot […] which, in the language of the hostess, reamed with excellent claret"
- 2 To enlarge (a hole), especially using a reamer; to bore (a hole) wider. transitive
- 3 enlarge with a reamer wordnet
- 4 To remove (material) by reaming. transitive
- 5 remove by making a hole or by boring wordnet
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 To remove burrs and debris from inside (something, such as a freshly bored hole) using a tool. transitive
- 7 squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer wordnet
- 8 To shape or form, especially using a reamer.
- 9 To sexually penetrate in a rough and painful way. broadly, slang, vulgar
- 10 To yell at or berate. slang
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"She got us exactly one ream of printer paper, which in our office will last about five hours."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ream"?
Common synonyms include: auger, bawl out, beat, berate, bilk, bite.
How do you use "ream" in a sentence?
She got us exactly one ream of printer paper, which in our office will last about five hours.
How do you pronounce "ream"?
Pronounced /ɹiːm/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English reme, rem, from Old English rēam (“cream”), from Proto-West Germanic *raum, from Proto-Germanic *raumaz (“cream”), from Proto-Indo-European *réwgʰmn̥ (“to sour [milk]”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Room (“cream”), West Frisian rjemme (“cream”), Dutch room (“cream”), German Low German Rahm, Rohm (“cream”), German Rahm (“cream”), Swedish römme (“cream”), Norwegian rømme (“sour cream”), Faroese rómi (“cream”), Icelandic rjómi (“cream”). See also ramekin.
Etymology 2
Etymology uncertain, possibly a variant of rime (etymology 4). Doublet of room. Cognates * Dutch ruimen (“to empty, evacuate”) * German räumen (“to make room”) * Icelandic rýma (“to make room, clear”).
Etymology 3
From Middle English reme, from Old French raime, rayme (“ream”) (French rame), from Catalan raima (“ream”), from Arabic رِزْمَة (rizma, “bundle”).
Etymology 4
From the German surname, Anglicized from Riehm, Röhm, Roehm.