cram
/kræm/
verb
Origin
Old English
crammian — to stuff
Overview
Meaning Now
- To force something into a space that is not large enough.
- To study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination.
Literal older meaning
to stuff or press together tightly
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Middle English → English
Earliest form
crammian
Earliest period
11th century
Journey
The term has Germanic origins and is related to Low German and Dutch verbs meaning 'to press' or 'to cramp'. The sense of intensive studying for exams emerged in British university slang during the early 19th century, implying a literal 'stuffing' of knowledge into the brain.
Evolution
- Old English
crammian
“to stuff or pack”
- Middle English
crammen
“to stuff tightly”
- 19th century English
cram
“to study intensively”
academic slang usage emerged
Connections
Word parts
cram
root
to stuff
Related across languages
Low German
krammen
to pinch or cramp
Dutch
krammen
to cramp or hook
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.