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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ram, Ram(m)e, Ramb, n.. [ME and e.m.E. ramm (Orm), ram (14th c.), rambe (c1400), ramme (1470–85), OE ram(m, rm(m.]

1. A male sheep, a tup. Also attrib. with hornis and scheipe. Also Ram dollour, -horn(e, -rais.In early use as a place-name element. — 1218 Liber Calchou 264.
Rammeshope 1241 Reg. Episc. Glasg. I 147.
Terras … de RamnishorenFreq., allusively.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii 6771.
The ram oft gais a-bak That he the maire debaite may mak c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 105/16.
Ryatous as rammis c1510 Prester John 311b.
Thai [pygmies] rid one litill hors as one rammis 1538 Lynd. Justing 34.
Than ran thay to, lyk rammis 1540 Id. Sat. 2764 (Ch.).
Thay lyke rams rudlie in thair rage, Vnpysalt rinnis amang the sillie ȝowis 15.. King Berdok 1.
Be the ramis horn 15.. Christis Kirk 192 (M). 1567 G. Ball. 109.
The mountains muifit & ran athort lyke rammis a1568 Scott v 54. a1568 Bann. MS 79b/8.
Als evin be lyne rycht as a rammis horne 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. II 137. 1638 Fugitive Poetry II x 4/7.
A long-horn'd Galloway ramme(b) a1400 Leg. S. i 369.
Rame 1492 Misc. Bann. C. II 137.
Quhen he [Jason] past to the conquest of the rame c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 112/6.
[He] vald haif riddin hir lyk ane rame(c) 1623 Brechin Test. IV 109.
Ramb a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 192.
A sarie ramb gets a sarie lambattrib. a1500 Colk. Sow i 238.
Two ram crukit hornis — 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII 294b.
Tua rame scheipe price of the pece xx s.

2. The sign of the zodiac Aries. 1456 Hay II 128/3.
That takyn callit the Ram a1500 Henr. Fab. 637 (Bann.).
And Mars vp in the Rammys hede was borne c1475 Wall. ix 18.
Quhen conryet [McD. Aryet, 1570 Aries] the hot syng coloryk, In to the Ram, quhilk had his rowmys ryk a1568 Bell. Bann. MS I p. 3/1.
Quhen goldin Phebus movit fra the Ram Into the Bull

3. A battering-ram. 1513 Doug. ii viii 95.
Oft wyth the ram the port is schaik & duschit Ib. xii xii 27.
The barmkyn law smait with the rammys fast 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 156.
vj treis to be rammis 1533 Bell. Livy I 68/25.
Thair wallis [being] deieckit be force of rammys to the grund 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 69.
A ram was made to mak oppin doores 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 548.
Ramme

4. Only Sc.: A ramrod. 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 101.
For ane ram to the kingis culveryn 1508 Ib. 111.
j ram of lattoun and tua of steil Ib. 121.
Tua gun rammis 1540 Ib. VII 357. 1541 Ib. VIII 118.
xl new rammes … to the auld culveringis quhilkis wer fund … roustit, and the rammes brokin