verb
scram
skram
Scram (verb) means to leave quickly, especially as a command telling someone to go away. Example: “\"Scram!\" the shopkeeper shouted at the kids.”
verb
1
To leave quickly, especially as a command telling someone to go away.
"\"Scram!\" the shopkeeper shouted at the kids."
"They scrammed the moment they heard sirens."
2
To shut down a nuclear reactor rapidly, usually as an emergency safety measure.
"Operators scrammed the reactor after the alarm sounded."
How to use scram
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a command, it means \"go away now\"; in engineering, it means to emergency-shut-down a reactor.
When to use it
The \"go away\" sense is informal and often used as a blunt command.
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Word forms
- Plural
- scrams
- Third person singular
- scrams
- Past tense
- scrammed, scramed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
\"_____!\" the shopkeeper shouted at the kids.
Etymology
Probably either: * a clipping of scramble by apocope; or * from dialectal German schramm, the imperative singular form of schrammen (“to scratch, scrape”), from Late Middle High German schramm, schramme (“a graze, scratch”); further etymology unknown.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for scram
See all rhymes for scram →Frequently asked questions
What does “scram” mean?
The word “scram” means to leave quickly, especially as a command telling someone to go away. In plain terms, as a command, it means \"go away now\"; in engineering, it means to emergency-shut-down a reactor.
How do you pronounce “scram”?
“Scram” is pronounced skram (/skɹæm/ in IPA).
How do you use “scram” in a sentence?
Here is “scram” used in a sentence: “They scrammed the moment they heard sirens.”
What part of speech is “scram”?
“Scram” is a verb.
How many meanings does “scram” have?
“Scram” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to leave quickly, especially as a command telling someone to go away.
