dram
see also: DRAM
Pronunciation Noun

dram (plural drams)

  1. (units of measurement) A small unit of weight, variously:
    1. One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (approximately 1.77 g).
    2. (pharmacy) Alternative form of drachm.
    3. (now uncommon) Synonym of dirhem#English|dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g).
      • 1888, W.M.F. Petrie, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. XXIV, s.v. "Weights and Measures":
        Dram (49·5 grains), 100=chequi, 4=oka (2·8286 ℔); dram (49·5 grains), 180=rotl, 100=kintal or kantar (127·29 ℔).
    4. (obsolete) Synonym of drachma#English|drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g).
  2. Any similarly minute quantity, (now particularly) a small amount of strong alcohol or poison.
    a dram of brandy
    • 1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Vnlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], OCLC 879551664 ↗:
      Were I the chooser, a dram of well-doing should be preferred before many times as much the forcible hindrance of evildoing.
  3. (historical) A cart formerly used to haul coal in coal mines.
  4. (obsolete) Synonym of drachma#English|drachma: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma; other similar coins.
    • The Bible (King James Version), Ezra 2:69
      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 […]
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations Verb

dram (drams, present participle dramming; past and past participle drammed)

  1. (dated, intransitive) To drink drams.
  2. (dated, transitive) To ply with drams of drink.
    • 1855, Thackeray, 'Newcomes xxviii. (1868) II. 335
      The parents. . are getting ready their daughter for sale . . praying her, and imploring her, and dramming her, and coaxing her.
Noun

dram (plural drams)

  1. (numismatics) The currency of Armenia, divided into 100 luma.
Translations
  • Russian: драм

DRAM
Noun

dram

  1. (electronics) dynamic random access memory.
Related terms


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