ream

¹

[reem]

noun

1. a standard quantity of paper, consisting of 20 quires or 500 sheets (formerly 480 sheets), or 516 sheets printer's ream, or perfect ream.

2. Usually reams. a large quantity.

   He has written reams of poetry.

ream

²

[reem]

verb (used with object)

1. to enlarge to desired size (a previously bored hole) by means of a reamer.

2. to clear with a reamer; remove or press out by reaming.

3. to extract the juice from.

   to ream an orange.

4. Slang.

   1. to scold or reprimand severely (usually followed byout ).

   2. to cheat; defraud.

ream

¹

/ riːm /

noun

1. a number of sheets of paper, formerly 480 sheets ( short ream ), now 500 sheets ( long ream ) or 516 sheets ( printer's ream or perfect ream ). One ream is equal to 20 quires

2. informal,  (often plural) a large quantity, esp of written matter

   he wrote reams

ream

²

/ riːm /

verb

1. to enlarge (a hole) by use of a reamer

2. to extract (juice) from (a citrus fruit) using a reamer

Word History and Origins

Origin of ream¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English rem(e), from Middle French reime, rame, from Spanish rezma, from Arabic rizmah “bale”

Origin of ream²

First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of ream¹

C14: from Old French raime , from Spanish rezma , from Arabic rizmah bale

Origin of ream²

C19: perhaps from C14 remen to open up, from Old English rӯman to widen

Example Sentences

On Wednesday, a Reform spokesman added: "Cosying up to the EU and leaving us entangled in reams of retained EU law which Kemi Badenoch failed to scrap will not resuscitate Britain's struggling economy."

From BBC

With her distinctive short cropped hair, Hodgkinson-Hedgecox is easily identifiable in the reams of footage from that evening outside the hotel.

From BBC

“I had literally reams of information and rough timelines via text messages that they had saved, and all sorts of things,” says the author.

From Los Angeles Times

In the loft, she discovered reams of handwritten notes and a dozen recording devices he had been using to bug his own home.

From BBC

He provoked physical fights at protests and published reams of digital nonsense against Latino politicians, once superimposing a giant sombrero on an image of Antonio Villaraigosa with the epithet, “Viva Mexico!”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• batch 
• bundle 
• scad 
• stack 
• ton