ram
verbEtymology From Middle English rammen, from the noun (see above). Compare Old High German rammen.
1
Ambitransitive To collide with (an object), usually with the intention of damaging it or disabling its function.
- The man, driving an SUV, then rammed the gate, according to police.
- A large stone rammed her head2014, Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior, Pan Macmillan:
3 more examples
- Two snatch thieves who snatched a woman's bag experienced swift karma when their victim accidentally rammed into their motorcycle.2016 December 29, M. Kumar, “Snatch thieves accidentally rammed by victim”, in The Star, Malaysia:
- The other ships, either not caring or too badly-damaged to do anything about it, proceed on their mission, with König the last to fall silent, shot to pieces in a last attempt to ram the Bellerophon.2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 25:35 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022:
- The only amusing highlight was Gudgeon having managed to exploit U.S. codebreaking efforts to ambush and destroy the submarine I-173, albeit not for the lack of the Mark 14's trying to sabotage the effort, as the torpedo that had hit the sub had refused to detonate; it seemed, however, that the car-crash levels of kinetic energy involved in the dud simply ramming the sub had nonetheless done enough to fatally damage it.2021 December 29, Drachinifel, 21:03 from the start, in The USN Pacific Submarine Campaign - The Dark Year (Dec'41 - Dec'42), archived from the original on 19 Jul 2022:
2
To strike (something) hard, especially with an implement.
- To build a sturdy fence, you have to ram the posts deep into the ground.
3
To seat a cartridge, projectile, or propellant charge in the breech of a firearm by pushing or striking.
- After placing the cartridge in the musket, ram it down securely with the ramrod.
4
Also, Figuratively To force, cram or thrust (someone or something) into or through something.
- I quickly rammed another charge down the barrel and took aim.
- Again: great to take lessons in ethics from a guy currently trying to ram through a policy of freighting refugees off to cuddly Rwandan president Paul Kagame.2023 July 4, Marina Hyde, “Who’s for political Bazball with Rishi? Voters? Tories? Anyone?”, in The Guardian:
5
To fill or compact by pounding or driving.
- They rammed the earth walls to make them more compact
6
Slang To thrust during sexual intercourse.
- 1999, Mr.Web, Size Matters review by mr. web review Group: rec.arts.movies.erotica like feel a soft butt against their pelvis or ram a girl really hard with piston-like speed while she begs and screams for more
- Derived terms
- overram, ram home, ram-jam, rammable, rammed earth, rammer, ram something down someone's throat, unram