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.
1671. Head and Kirkman, The English Rogue, ‘Canting Song.’ Till
cramprings quire, tip Cove his Hire, And Quire-ken do them catch.
1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Cramp-Words, subs. (old).—1. Hard, unpronounceable vocables; crackjaw
words (q.v.).
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5 ed.). Cramp words (s.): hard,
difficult, unusual or uncommon words.
1779. Mrs. Cowley, Who’s the Dupe? II., ii. I’ve been in the
Dictionary this half-hour, and have picked up cramp words enough to
puzzle and delight the old gentleman the remainder of his life.
1812. Coombe, Tour in S. of Picturesque, C. xxv. Who get cramp
words, and cant the Muse In Magazines and in Reviews.