Cradle, Altar, and Tomb Column, subs. phr. (American).—The births,
marriages, and deaths column in newspaper. An English equivalent is
hatch, match, and dispatch column.
Crag.—See Scrag.
Cram, subs. (popular).—1. A lie; oftentimes crammer. [The idea is that
of stuffing with nonsense.] For synonyms, see Whopper.
1842. Punch, vol. II., p. 21, col. 2. It soundeth somewhat like a
cram: but our honour is at stake, and we repeat the ‘mile.’
1864. Le Fanu, Uncle Silas, ch. xxxviii. ‘It is awful, an old un
like that telling such crams as she do!’
1864. Quiver, 4 June. By some delicate distinction the falsehood
presented itself under the guise of a cram, and not of a naked lie.
1887. W. E. Henley, Villon’s Good Night. You magsmen bold that work
the cram.
2. (colloquial).—Hard, forced study. Resulting rather in a test of
memory than of capacity.
1872. Morning Post, Oct. 15. Poor Toots, the head boy of Dr.
Blimber’s academy ... bloomed early and had by cram been enabled to
answer any given set of questions, and to work any papers at an
‘exam.’
1872. Daily Telegraph, July 25. ‘Speech Day at King’s College
School.’ Dr. Maclear also said a few words on the advantage of boys
going up straight from school to college without any interval of
cram.
1878. Jas. Payn, By Proxy, ch. xii. They have gained their position
by cram of the philosophic kind.
3. (colloquial).—One who prepares another for an examination; a coach;
a ‘grindstone.’
1861. Dutton Cook, Paul Foster’s Daughter, ch. ix. ‘I shall go to a
coach, a cram, a grindstone.’
4. (University).—An adventitious aid to study; a translation; a ‘crib.’
For synonyms, see Pony.
1853. Rev. E. Bradley (‘C. Bede’), Verdant Green, pt. II., p. 68.
The infatuated Mr. Bouncer madly persisted ... in going into the
school clad in his examination coat, and padded over with a host of
crams.
Verb (colloquial).—1. To study at high pressure for an examination.
Also to prepare one for examination. Cf., Dig and Coach.
1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, s.v.
1825–27. Hone, Every-day Book, Feb. 22. Shutting my room door, as
if I was ‘sported in’ and cramming Euc.
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, chap. li., p. 446. ‘He crammed for it, to
use a technical but expressive term; he read up for the subject, at
my desire, in the Encyclopædia Britannica.’
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.]