Heading
1844. Puck, p. 13. Though for Great Go and for Small, I teach Paley, cram and all.
1872. Besant and Rice, My Little Girl. The writer of one crushing article crammed for it, like Mr. Pott's young man.
2. (general).—To lie; to deceive, [Literally to stuff with nonsense.] For synonyms, see Stick.
1794. Gent. Mag., p. 1085. Luckily, I crammed him so well, that at last honest Jollux tipped me the cole [money].
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xviii. A thousand ridiculous tales . . . with some specimens of which our friend Richie Moniplies had been crammed . . . by the malicious apprentice.
Crammer, subs. (general). 1. A
liar; one who tells crams (q.v.).
[From cram (m a lie, + er.]
2. (common).—A lie; the same as cram, sense 1.
1861. H. C. Pennell, Puck on Pegasus, p. 17. I sucked in the obvious crammer kindly as my mother's milk.
1880. A. Trollope, The Duke's Children, ch. xxxviii. 'What on earth made you tell him crammers like that?' asked Silverbridge.
c. 1884. Broadside Ballad, 'On Monday I Met Mary Ann.' I thought t'would last for ever and I never should be sold, Because I was so clever in the crammers that I told.
3. (general).—One who prepares men for examination; a coach, or grinder (q.v., for synonyms).
1812. Miss Edgeworth, Patronage, ch. iii. Put him into the hands of a clever grinder or crammer, and they would soon cram the necessary portion of Latin and Greek into him.
1872. Evening Standard, 16 Aug. 'The Competition Wallah.' The crammer follows in the wake of competitive examinations as surely as does the shadow the body.
Cramming, verbal subs. (common).—The
act of studying hard for an
examination. [From cram (q.v.,
sense 2) + ing.] American,
boning.
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 201, col. 1. Aspirants to honours in law, physic, or divinity, each know the value of private cramming.
1863. Charles Reade, Hard Cash, I., p. 16. 'All this term I have been ('training' scratched out and another word put in: c—r oh, I know) cramming.' 'Cramming, love?' 'Yes, that is Oxfordish for studying.'
1869. Spencer, Study of Sociology, ch. xv., p. 574 (9 ed.). And here, by higher culture, I do not mean mere language-learning, and an extension of the detestable cramming system at present in use.
1872. Daily News, Dec. 20. Competitive examinations for the public service defeated in a great measure, the object of their promoters, which was to place rich and poor on an equality, because success was made to depend very largely on successful cramming, which meant a high-priced crammer.
Cramped or Crapped, ppl. adj.
(old).—Hanged; also killed. For
synonyms, see Ladder.
Cramping-Cull, subs. (old).—The
hangman. [From the cramping
of the rope, + cull, a man.] Cf.,
cramp rings (q.v.).
Cramp in the Hand, subs. phr.
(common).—Meanness; stinginess.
Cramp-Rings, subs. (old).—Bolts;
shackles; fetters. [Properly a
ring of gold or silver, which after
being blessed by the sovereign,
was held a specific for cramp and
falling-sickness.] For synonyms,
see Darbies.
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight [ed. Grosart, III., 203]. Straight we're to the Cuffin Queer forced to bing; And 'cause we are poor made to scour the cramp-ring.
