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Reak vs Ream - What's the difference?

reak | ream |

As nouns the difference between reak and ream

is that reak is (obsolete) a prank or reak can be a rush while ream is ream (of paper).

reak

English

Etymology 1

Compare Icelandic hrekkr, or English wreak vengeance.

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A prank.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • They play such reaks .

    Etymology 2

    Compare .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A rush.
  • * Drant
  • Feeds on reaks and reeds.
    (Webster 1913)

    ream

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) reme, rem, from (etyl) . See also (l).

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cream; mantle; foam; froth.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
  • a huge pewter measuring pot which, in the language of the hostess, reamed with excellent claret

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) remen, rimen, . More at (l).

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l), (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To enlarge a hole, especially using a reamer; to bore a hole wider.
  • To shape or form, especially using a reamer.
  • To remove (material) by reaming.
  • To remove burrs and debris from a freshly bored hole.
  • (slang) To yell at or berate.
  • (slang, vulgar) To sexually penetrate in a rough and painful way, by analogy with definition 1.
  • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) reeme, from (etyl) raime, .

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bundle, package, or quantity of paper, nowadays usually containing 500 sheets.
  • An abstract large amount of something.
  • I can't go - I still have reams of work left.
    Coordinate terms
    * (quantity of paper) bale, bundle, quire

    See also

    *

    Anagrams

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