dram

plural drams

1. A small unit of weight, variously:
   1. alternativeunits of measurementAlternative form of drachm (“One sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (1.77 g; symbol: ʒ)”).
   2. alternativeunits of measurement; pharmacy; pharmacyAlternative form of drachm (“One eighth of an ounce apothecary (3.89 g; symbol: ʒ)”).
   3. uncommonunits of measurementSynonym of dirhem: a former Turkish unit of weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g).

      Dram (49·5 grains), 100=chequi, 4=oka (2·8286 ℔); dram (49·5 grains), 180=rotl, 100=kintal or kantar (127·29 ℔).

      1888, W.M.F. Petrie, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. XXIV, s.v. "Weights and Measures"

      Synonyms: dirhem

   4. obsoleteunits of measurementSynonym of drachma: a former Greek unit of weight (about 4.3 g).

      Synonyms: drachma

2. broadlyAny similarly minute quantity, (now particularly) a small amount of strong alcohol or poison.

   a dram of brandy

   4 more examples

   Were I the chooser, a dram of well-doing should be preferred before many times as much the forcible hindrance of evildoing.

   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

   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 […]

   1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, pages 281–282

   Oh, brethren, if you wants more preachin' Save a little dram for me (Glory hallelujah!) Drinkin' gin ain't against my teachin'

   1920, Marshall Walker, Will E. Skidmore, “Save a Little Dram for Me”, performed by Bert Williams

   Connoisseurs may prefer to savour their dram of single malt straight up. But, for beverage companies, that's not where the growth is.

   2025 December 27, “Cocktails in a can are the new frontier for drooping drinks giants”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18

   Synonyms: mite, smidge, smidgeon, bit, pinch, nip

3. historicalbusinessA cart formerly used to haul coal in coal mines.

   The rolling stock, consisting entirely of four-wheel open trucks, or drams, was broken up at Bonvilles Court Colliery.

   1946 November and December, “The Saundersfoot Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 340

4. obsoleteSynonym of drachma: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma; other similar coins.

   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 […]

   The Bible (King James Version), Ezra 2:69

   Synonyms: drachma

present singular third person drams · participle present dramming · participle past drammed · past drammed

1. datedintransitiveTo drink drams.

   What I contend against is, this dramming, dramming, dramming, at all hours of the day. There are some men who take a glass at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and at four in the afternoon.

   1857, Samuel Griswold Goodrich, Recollections of a Lifetime

2. datedtransitiveTo ply with drams of drink.

   The parents[…]are getting ready their daughter for sale[…]praying her, and imploring her, and dramming her, and coaxing her.

   1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC

plural drams

1. hobbiesThe currency of Armenia, divided into 100 luma.

plural DRAMs

1. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of dynamic random access memory.