dram
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɹæm/
rhymes: -æm
Forms: form: drams
Etymology: From Middle English dragme, dramme, from Old French dragme, drame, from Late Latin dragma, from Latin drachma, from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “unit of weight; a handful”). Doublet of drachma, diram, dirham, dirhem, and adarme.
Senses: qualifier: units of measurement
glosses: A small unit of weight, variously:
Alternative form of drachm (“One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (1.77 g; symbol: ℨ or ʒ)”).
qualifier: units of measurement; pharmacy; pharmacy
glosses: A small unit of weight, variously:
Alternative form of drachm (“One eighth of an ounce apothecary (3.89 g; symbol: ℨ or ʒ)”).
examples: text: Dram (49·5 grains), 100=chequi, 4=oka (2·8286 ℔); dram (49·5 grains), 180=rotl, 100=kintal or kantar (127·29 ℔).
ref: 1888, W.M.F. Petrie, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. XXIV, s.v. "Weights and Measures"
qualifier: units of measurement
glosses: A small unit of weight, variously:
Synonym of dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g).
synonyms: word: dirhem
extra: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g).
qualifier: units of measurement
glosses: A small unit of weight, variously:
Synonym of drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g).
synonyms: word: drachma
extra: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g).
examples: text: a dram of brandy
text: Were I the chooser, a dram of well-doing should be preferred before many times as much the forcible hindrance of evildoing.
ref: 1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC:
text: When Friday came to him I bade him ſpeak to him, and tell him of his Deliverance, and pulling out my Bottle, made him give the poor Wretch a Dram, which, with the News of his being deliver'd, reviv'd him, and he ſat up in the Boat […]
ref: 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, pages 281–282:
text: Oh, brethren, if you wants more preachin'
 Save a little dram for me (Glory hallelujah!)
 Drinkin' gin ain't against my teachin'
ref: 1920, Marshall Walker, Will E. Skidmore, “Save a Little Dram for Me”performed by Bert Williams:
glosses: Any similarly minute quantity, (now particularly) a small amount of strong alcohol or poison.
examples: text: The rolling stock, consisting entirely of four-wheel open trucks, or drams, was broken up at Bonvilles Court Colliery.
ref: 1946 November and December, “The Saundersfoot Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 340:
topics: business
mining
glosses: A cart formerly used to haul coal in coal mines.
examples: text: They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams [i.e., the Persian daric] of gold, and five thousand pound of silver […]
ref: The Bible (King James Version), Ezra 2:69
glosses: Synonym of drachma: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma; other similar coins.
synonyms: word: drachma
extra: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma; other similar coins
Synonyms: sense: small amount of something
word: mite
sense: small amount of something
word: smidge
sense: small amount of something
word: smidgeon
sense: small amount of something
word: bit
sense: small amount of something
word: pinch
sense: small amount of alcohol
word: nip
Derived terms: angel's dram
dramless
dramseller
dramshop
dram shop liability
fluidram