ram
/ræm/ (bre, ipa) · [rˈæm] /ræm/ (ame, ipa) · [rˈæm] /ˈram/ (ame, mw)
ram — verb
- rampresent simple I / you / we / they
- ramshe / she / it
- rammedpast simple
- ramming-ing form
1. to push or drive one object forcefully against another object, often causing dam
to push or drive one object forcefully against another object, often causing damage, movement, or forcing it into a position
Haruto lost control of the wheel and rammed his car into a tree.
ram + object + into + noun (collision)
The movers rammed the heavy sofa against the door frame by mistake.
ram + object + against + noun (accidental force)
Esteban rammed the metal pole deep into the ground to support the tent.
During the storm the fishing boat rammed against the dock repeatedly.
- crash
emphasises accidental collision with destructive result; 'crash into' does not imply deliberate force
- batter
suggests repeated, forceful hitting, often to break something down
- thrust
implies a steady pushing motion rather than a sudden forceful impact
- drive
more general; 'drive into' can mean forceful insertion but lacks the sense of violent impact
文法句型
ram + object + into/against + noun
ram + into/against + noun
用法筆記
Frequently appears with the prepositions 'into' or 'against' to indicate the target. The transitive form ('ram something into/against something') is more common than the intransitive form ('ram into/against something').
常見錯誤
2. to push your own ideas or beliefs onto someone else insistently, so that the oth
to push your own ideas or beliefs onto someone else insistently, so that the other person feels pressured or irritated
Diya's boss kept ramming his sales figures down everyone's throat.
ram + something + down + possessive + throat (idiom, most common pattern)
The history teacher rammed dates and names into our heads every lesson.
ram + something + into + possessive + head
Rania hates it when politicians ram their beliefs onto viewers during news shows.
Minh's uncle tried to ram his own religious views onto the whole family.
文法句型
ram + object + down/into/onto + somebody/something
用法筆記
The fixed idiom 'ram something down someone's throat' is the most frequent expression for this sense and appears in everyday conversation. The alternative patterns 'ram something into someone's head' and 'ram something onto someone' are less common but still natural.
常見錯誤
ram — noun
- ramsingular
- ramsplural
1. a fully grown male sheep, often kept on farms for breeding and not castrated
a fully grown male sheep, often kept on farms for breeding and not castrated
The farmer brought his prize ram to the county fair this year.
countable noun; agricultural context
Maeve watched the two rams locking their curled horns in the pasture.
A single ram can breed with up to fifty ewes in one season.
Pedro's grandfather used to raise fine wool from his flock of Merino rams.
用法筆記
The female equivalent is 'ewe', and a young sheep of either sex is a 'lamb'. A castrated male sheep is called a 'wether'.
常見錯誤
2. a heavy piece of equipment, originally a long wooden log, used to hit and break
a heavy piece of equipment, originally a long wooden log, used to hit and break through doors, walls, or other barriers
Soldiers carried a heavy iron-tipped ram to break down the castle gate.
historical military context
Firefighters used a metal ram to force the locked apartment door open.
modern emergency context
In medieval wars armies pulled large battering rams up to enemy walls.
The rescue team brought a hydraulic ram to cut through the collapsed concrete.
- battering ram
the full term for the historical siege weapon; more common than 'ram' alone in that context
- pounder
a similar tool used for crushing or breaking
用法筆記
When describing the historical weapon used in sieges, the full term 'battering ram' is much more common than 'ram' alone. In modern usage, 'ram' often refers to powered tools like hydraulic rams used by emergency services.
3. a moving part of a machine that pushes, presses, or applies force to something,
a moving part of a machine that pushes, presses, or applies force to something, especially in presses, pumps, or pile drivers
The hydraulic ram pushes the metal sheet into a curved shape.
collocation: 'hydraulic ram'; manufacturing context
A broken ram in the stamping press stopped the entire factory line.
Engineers replaced the worn ram to restore full pressure to the machine.
Each pile driver uses a heavy steel ram that drops onto the pile head.
用法筆記
This is a technical engineering term. It commonly appears in compound forms such as 'hydraulic ram', 'pneumatic ram', or 'press ram'. The same mechanical component may be called a 'plunger' in some contexts.
4. short for 'random access memory': the temporary storage area inside a computer t
short for 'random access memory': the temporary storage area inside a computer that holds data the processor needs right away and lets you change that data while the device is running, but loses everything once you turn the power off
My laptop has sixteen gigabytes of RAM and runs smoothly.
uncountable; 'gigabytes of RAM'
Haruto upgraded the RAM in his desktop to handle video editing.
Closing unused browser tabs frees up RAM for other applications.
Most modern phones have at least four gigabytes of RAM built in.
- memory
the broader term; 'memory' can include both RAM and storage, but in casual use often means RAM
- random access memory
the full form of the abbreviation 'RAM', used for clarity in formal or technical writing
- ROM
read-only memory; stored data that cannot be easily changed and is kept even when the computer is off
用法筆記
RAM is an uncountable noun in this context — we say 'some RAM' or 'more RAM', not 'a RAM' or 'two RAMs'. It is written in capital letters as an abbreviation. RAM is different from ROM (read-only memory), which cannot be changed by the user.