释义 |
cram I. \ˈkram, -raa(ə)m\ verb (crammed ; crammed ; cramming ; crams) Etymology: Middle English crammen, from Old English crammian; akin to Old High German krimman to press, Old Norse kremja to squeeze, Latin gremium lap, Sanskrit grāma multitude, pile, village, Latin grex herd — more at gregarious transitive verb 1. : to fill especially forcibly with more than is necessary or appropriate : pack tight : load to overflowing : jam < cram a suitcase with clothes > < a crammed schedule > < a novel crammed with surprises > 2. a. : to fill with food to satiety : overfeed, stuff; especially : to feed forcibly in order to fatten (poultry) either through a tube inserted into the crop or by thrusting long strips of dough down the gullet by hand b. : to eat voraciously or clumsily : bolt < rebuke a child for cramming his food > 3. : to thrust, jam, or drive in or as if in a rough, clumsy, willful, or unsuitable manner < he crammed the letters in his pocket > < cram lies down another's throat > 4. a. : to put (a person) hastily through a course of memorizing especially in preparation for an examination b. : to study (a subject) under pressure < cram physics for the final examination > intransitive verb 1. : to eat greedily or to satiety : stuff 2. : to study intensively or under pressure especially for an examination — often used with up < cram up on mathematics > Synonyms: see pack II. noun (-s) 1. : a compressed multitude or crowd : crush < there was such a cram in the church that the procession had almost to fight its way to the high altar — Bruce Marshall > 2. : studying or instructing under pressure or limitations of time especially for a coming examination < he got through his senior year finally by sheer cram > < students attending cram courses before their exams > III. noun (-s) Etymology: German, Swedish, Danish & Norwegian kram trifles, small wares, rubbish; German, from Middle High German krām stretched out cloth, tent covering, merchandise booth, from Old High German crām market booth; Swedish, Danish & Norwegian, from Middle Low German krām market booth, tent covering, small wares; akin to Middle Dutch crāme, craem tent flap, market booth, small wares dialect : anything unwanted or in the way : junk |