What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Scram vs Cram - What's the difference?

scram | cram |

As verbs the difference between scram and cram

is that scram is get out of here; go away (frequently imperative) while cram is to press, force, or drive, particularly in filling, or in thrusting one thing into another; to stuff; to crowd; to fill to superfluity; as, to cram anything into a basket; to cram a room with people.

As nouns the difference between scram and cram

is that scram is a rapid shutdown of a nuclear reactor while cram is the act of cramming.

scram

English

Etymology 1

Attested since 1928“ scram” in the Online Etymology Dictionary , © November 2001 Douglas Harper , originally as U.S. slang; either: * formed by abbreviation of scramble by apocope; or * from dialect (etyl) schramm, imperative singular form of .

Verb

(scramm)
  • Get out of here; go away (frequently imperative).
    • If you don't scram , I'll leave instead!
    Synonyms
    * See also

    See also

    * amscray

    Etymology 2

    Back-formation from (SCRAM); most etymologies are backronyms.

    Verb

  • (ambitransitive) To abruptly insert the control rods of a nuclear reactor, usually in case of emergency shutdown.
  • * 1983 , Michio Kaku & Jennifer Trainer (eds.), Nuclear Power: Both Sides , p. 22,
    • The slightest problem in a reactor will cause the control rods to plunge automatically in the uranium core at hih speeds (this is called scramming the reactor) and stop the chain reaction.
  • * 1999 , Charles Perrow, Normal Accidents: Living with High-risk Technologies , p. 44,
    • This shut off current to the control rod mechanism, and the reactor scrammed (shut off) automatically.
  • * 2000 , Ralph R. Fullwood, Probabilistic Safety Assessment in the Chemical and Nuclear Industries , Elsevier, page 218
    • Both active and manual methods scram' by tripping power to a dedicated pump that unbalances the flows to the (SIC) passively ' scram the reactor.
  • * 2007 , Samuel Upton Newtan, Nuclear War I and Other Major Nuclear Disasters of the 20th Century , p. 113,
    • The reactor was then "scramed ", but the control rods did not slide back into the reactor.

    Noun

    (-)
  • A rapid shutdown of a nuclear reactor

    • Etymology 3

    Etymology unknown.

    Verb

    (scramm)
  • (Wales) with claws or fingernails.
  • * 1996–2014 , “ A Dictionary of Slang]”, [http://web.archive.org/web/20130830021725/http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/s.htm archived on 30 August 2013, accessed on 19 March 2014:
    • Verb. ... 2. To scratch, with claws or fingernails. E.g. "It's my own fault the cat scrammed me, I was teasing it." [South Wales use]
  • * (Also reported as '''2013 December 21, “Cat wakes woman as flat fills with smoke”", ''(The Daily Telegraph) , p. 17.)'>citation

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Wales) A , especially caused by claws or fingernails.
  • * 1996–2014 , “ A Dictionary of Slang]”, [http://web.archive.org/web/20130830021725/http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/s.htm archived on 30 August 2013, accessed on 19 March 2014:
    • Noun. ... 2. A scratch. [South Wales use]

    References

    Anagrams

    * * marcs

    cram

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of cramming.
  • Information hastily memorized; as, a cram from an examination.
  • A warp having more than two threads passing through each dent or split of the reed.

    • Verb

    (cramm)
  • To ; as, to cram anything into a basket; to cram a room with people.
  • To fill with food to ; to stuff.
  • To put through an extensive course of memorizing or study, as in preparation for an examination; as, a pupil is crammed by his tutor.
  • .
  • To , and to satiety; to stuff.
  • To make crude or study.

    • Derived terms

    * cram school

    Anagrams

    * *