noun

dram

Dram (noun) means a small measure or drink of liquor, especially whisky. Example: “He poured himself a dram of whisky before bed.”

noun

A small measure or drink of liquor, especially whisky.

"He poured himself a dram of whisky before bed."

"Come in out of the cold and have a wee dram."

A unit of weight or fluid measure, historically about 1/16 of an ounce.

"The old recipe called for two drams of tincture."

verb

To drink drams of liquor, or to treat someone to one.

"The old sailors would dram together every Friday night."

How to use dram

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small drink, especially of whisky, or an old-fashioned tiny unit of weight.

When to use it

The drinking sense is especially common in Scottish and Irish English.

Common pairings

a wee dram a dram of whisky

Word forms

drammed past tense, drams plural, drams singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “dram” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He poured himself a _____ of whisky before bed.

Etymology

From Old French drame, going back through Late Latin to Ancient Greek drakhmē, "a handful" or unit of weight — the same root that gives us "drachma."

Origin: Ancient Greek

Synonyms

View more →

drachm drachma

Related words

drachm drachma

Rhymes for dram

ram gram tram cram pram Bram scram

See all rhymes for dram →

Frequently asked questions

What does “dram” mean?

The word “dram” means a small measure or drink of liquor, especially whisky. In plain terms, a small drink, especially of whisky, or an old-fashioned tiny unit of weight.

How do you pronounce “dram”?

“Dram” is pronounced dram (/dɹæm/ in IPA).

How do you use “dram” in a sentence?

Here is “dram” used in a sentence: “He poured himself a dram of whisky before bed.”

What part of speech is “dram”?

Depending on how it is used, “dram” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “dram” come from?

The word “dram” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French drame, going back through Late Latin to Ancient Greek drakhmē, "a handful" or unit of weight — the same root that gives us "drachma.".

How many meanings does “dram” have?

“Dram” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small measure or drink of liquor, especially whisky.

People also searched

drachm drachma