rammishadj.1
/ˈramɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈræmɪʃ/ 1. † c. figurative and in figurative contexts. Of a person, thing, or quality: foul, stinking; stale. Obsolete.
a. Of smell, taste, etc.: characteristic of a ram; rank, strong, pungent; disagreeable, offensive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > fetor > [adjective]
foul-stinkingOE
poignantc1387
rammishc1395
rank1479
reekya1500
puanta1529
unsavoury1539
uglyc1540
contagious1547
noisome1559
fulsome1576
fetid1599
nasty1601
unsweet1605
rammy1607
stenchful1615
stinkardly1616
rancid1627
reeking1629
pungent1644
olidous1646
stenching1654
graveolent1657
maleolent1657
virous1661
olid1680
ranciduous1688
feculent1703
virose1756
stenchy1757
infragrant1813
inodorous1823
nosy1836
malodorous1850
unfragrant1858
smelly1862
cacodorous1863
stinky1888
funked out1893
niffya1903
whiffy1905
pongy1936
fresh1966
minging1970
bogging1973
bowfing1983
honking1985
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > unsavouriness > [adjective] > rank or rancid
restya1325
rest1381
rammishc1395
areast1440
reested?c1475
reesed1486
musty1492
rusty?1521
turned1548
reasty1573
froughy1579
flatten1594
reasy1598
rammy1607
rancid1627
loud1641
ranked1648
virous1661
ranciduous1688
raftya1722
virose1756
reeky1854
loud-flavoured1866
c1395 G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Tale 887 They stynken as a goot; Hir sauour is so rammyssh [v.r. rammysshe] and so hoot.
1562 W. Turner 2nd Pt. Herball f. 62v Sampharitik..hath a rammishe or buckishe styngkyng smell.
1574 J. Higgins 1st Pt. Mirour for Magistrates Morindus xv Rammishe stenche, bloud, poyson, slymy glere That in his body, so aboundaunt were.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. 101 It helpeth the rank rammish smel vnder the arm-holes.
1657 W. Coles Adam in Eden cclxvii Purging away thereby the ranke and rammish savour.
1703 J. Lambert Country-man's Treasure (new ed.) 95 Although they are of a rammish Smell themselves, yet they naturally covet wholesome Airs and sweet scents.
1714 A. Stringer Experienc'd Huntsman (1780) 105 His Scent is very strong and rammish, as also his Piss.
1755 T. Smollett tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote I. iv. iv. 226 I was sensible of a sort of rammish smell, which I believe, was owing to her being in a muck sweat.
1908 Times 25 Aug. 9/5 The flowers of the male plant exhale a disagreeable rammish odour in hot weather.
1926 J. M. Manly New Light on Chaucer viii. 241 Hot rammish odors of brimstone.
1996 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 26 May 15/2 The ‘rammish’ stench of a trapper.
b. Having a pungent or disagreeable smell or taste. Now chiefly regional.
ΚΠ
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 322/1 Rammysshe, yll savoured as a man or beest that is to rancke.
1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie lxviii. 189 Few hounds will eate of a Foxes fleshe, but a Badgerdes is wallowish sweet & rammish.
1599 T. Nashe Lenten Stuffe 71 The fat reasty Scottish herrings, which will endure no salt, and in one moneth..waxe ramish if they be kept.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique vii. xxii. 838 Blacke dogs..delight most in coursing the rammish & strong sented beastes, as wilde bores, foxes [etc.].
1606 N. Baxter Sir Philip Sydneys Ouránia sig. G The Rammish filthie stinking Babioun.
1677 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Oxford-shire 94 Cats, or such like ramish creatures.
1707 E. Hickeringill Misc. Tracts, Ess. Satyrs 15 There is as good Civet in the Cods of an Old rammish Alligator, as in the Ginney Civet Catts.
1737 Whole Duty of Woman xxx. 643 If of a Boar..the Flesh will be hard, tough, reddish, and rammish of Smell.
1789 A. G. Sinclair Critic Philosopher 49 Is it not miraculous, how a bee..could ever suck honey out of the rammish carcase of the king of the beasts?
1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) Rammish, acrid, pungent... Butter is frequently said to be rammish in consequence of the cows, in spring, feeding on rams, which give it that flavour.
1863 Mrs. Toogood Specim. Yorks. Dial. This cheese..is rather rammish.
1894 W. C. Russell Good Ship ‘Mohock’ I. 140 Open that sky~light..Its growing durned rammish down here.
1932 Times 30 Nov. 8/5 The air is rammish with the smell of decay.
1963 Metrop. Mus. Art Bull. Jan. 188/2 He..learned that bichignola in old Milanese dialect meant ‘rammish, goatish, smelling of a goat’.
1997 W. Rollinson Dict. Cumbrian Dial. 131/1 Rammish, rank, pungent, sharp, acid.
ΚΠ
1545 G. Joye Expos. Daniel (xii.) f. 219v All the romish rammish preistis and bisshops so stinke that all honest men stoppe their noses, eares and eyes at them.
1604 T. M. Blacke Bk. in Wks. (1885) VIII. 29 This ramish Penny-father I rounded in the left Eare, winded in thy intent, the place and houre.
?1611 G. Chapman in tr. Homer Iliads iii. Comm. 79 In this poesy, redundant I affirm him, and rammish.
1617 J. Vicars tr. F. Herring Mischeefes Mysterie ii. 57 This remorselesse, gracelesse, godlesse brood Of rammish Romists.
1642 J. Cotton Brief Expos. Canticles i. 29 There they feed the kids and young ones, who else might in time grow rammish and ranke with superstitious and bad ministers.
1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso i. xxiii. 37 Those preambles, which smelt so rammish.
2. Lascivious, lustful; on heat.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > lasciviousness or lust > [adjective]
golelichc1000
luxuriousc1330
jollyc1384
lustyc1386
Venerienc1386
nicea1393
gayc1405
lasciviousc1425
libidinous1447
Venerian1448
coltishc1450
gigly1482
lubric1490
ranka1500
venereous1509
lubricous1535
venerious1547
boarish?1550
goatish?1552
cadye1554
lusting1559
coy1570
rage1573
rammish1577
venerial1577
lustful1579
rageous1579
proud1590
lust-breathed1594
rampant1596
venerous1597
sharp-seta1600
fulsome1600
lubrical1602
hot-backed1607
ruttish1607
stoned1607
muskish-minded1610
Venerean1612
saucya1616
veneral1623
lascive1647
venereal1652
lascivient1653
hircine1656
hot-tempered1673
ramp1678
randy1771
concupiscenta1834
aphrodisiac1862
lubricious1884
radgie1894
c1450 (?c1408) J. Lydgate Reson & Sensuallyte (1901) 3378 Whan she is hoot, Rammysh taraged as a goot.
1542 T. Becon Newe Pathway vnto Praier xlvi. sig. R. iii Into what perels woulde not we caste our selues to do the rammysh Byshop pleasure?
c1565 T. Palmer Emblems: 200 Poosees (1988) lxiv. 69 A rampinge liones hathe caughte A ram faste by the tayle: And she so fell, that dye he muste, No struglinge can prevaile. The liones the strumpettes force, The ram the lovers state, Dothe teache rammyshe ranke yonge man Suche blinde desyres to hate.
1577 R. Stanyhurst Treat. Descr. Irelande iii. f. 14/1, in R. Holinshed Chron. I Rutting wyues make often rammishe husbandes, as our prouerbe doeth inferre.
1635 F. Quarles Emblemes ii. i. 66 Goe, Cupids rammish Pander, goe.
1668 T. St. Serfe Tarugo's Wiles iii. i. 20 So soon as it was settl'd with a Ramish bravery, it..charg'd through Ten thousand Spectators, and most valiantly mounted a Barbary-Mare in view of the multitude.
1749 W. Ellis Compl. Syst. Improvem. Sheep 96 He would not have had a Parcel of Lambs gelt in the Ramming Season, when they begun to be Rammish, for they were spotted about their Cods.
a1916 J. Todhunter tr. J. W. von Goethe Faust (1926) xix. 145 I feel, quite virtuously, A spark of thievish joy, and rammish lust in me.
1987 H. Rubenstein Coping with Poverty iii. ix. 257 Being hot-skinned or rammish (having the quality of a ram-goat) is viewed as a manly virtue and a male who shows little interest in sex is considered abnormal.
1990 Monumenta Nipponica 45 483 Sorge's acuity and discipline, masked by alcoholic indulgence and rammish panache.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > fetor > [adverb]
fouleOE
foullyOE
puantlya1529
stinkingly1545
rammishly1567
noisomely1589
stinking1589
rankfully1607
rancidly1637
sulphuriously1638
pungently1658
rankly1661
sulphureously1677
overcomingly1840
loud1871
unfragrantly1883
malodorously1903
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > unsavouriness > [adverb] > rancidly
rammishly1567
rancidly1637
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > lasciviousness or lust > [adverb]
lustilyc1410
concupiscentlyc1450
sensuallyc1450
lasciviously1546
luxuriously?c1550
lustly1598
libidinously1602
lustfully1610
concupiscentially1627
lasciviently1664
rammishly1693
sluttishly1952
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest ii. f. 63 Al haruest time his leaues smel rammishly, in maner like the Goate.
1594 T. Nashe Vnfortunate Traveller sig. C3 Then began he to smell on the villaine so rammishly, that none there but was readie to rent him in peeces.
1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. i Hircosically, smelling rammishly.
1693 T. Urquhart & P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais 3rd Bk. Wks. xii. 95 More rammishly lascivious than a Buck.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
rammishadj.2
/ˈramɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈræmɪʃ/, Scottish English /ˈramɪʃ/α. Scottish pre-1700 rammys, 1700s 1900s– ramse (Orkney).
β. 1500s rammysshe, 1500s–1600s 1800s– rammish, 1600s– ramish; Scottish 1700s– ramsh, 1800s rammish.
In later use Scottish and English regional (north-western).† 2. Falconry. = ramage adj. 2a. Obsolete.
1. Frantic, crazy; wild, headstrong; rough, violent. Perhaps to some extent associated with ram n.1
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > degree or type of mental illness > [adjective] > frenzied or raging
aweddeOE
woodc1000
woodlyc1000
wildc1300
franticc1390
ramage1440
welling woodc1440
staringc1449
rammistc1455
rabious1460
horn-wood?a1500
rammisha1500
enragea1522
frenzic1547
wood-like1578
horn-mad1579
woodful1582
frenzicala1586
ragefula1586
rabid1594
ravening1599
ravenous1607
Pythic1640
exorbitant1668
frenziful1726
haggard-wild1786
frenzied1796
maenadic1830
berserk1867
up the wall1951
ballistic1981
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > temperament > [adjective] > wild or violent
rammish1607
the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [adjective]
retheeOE
hotOE
strongOE
woodlyc1000
un-i-rideOE
stoura1122
brathc1175
unridec1175
unrudec1225
starklyc1275
toughc1275
wood1297
ragec1330
unrekena1350
biga1375
furialc1386
outrageousc1390
savagea1393
violenta1393
bremelya1400
snarta1400
wrothlya1400
fightingc1400
runishc1400
dour?a1425
derfc1440
churlousa1450
roida1450
fervent1465
churlish1477
orgulous1483
felona1500
brathfula1522
brathlya1525
fanatic1533
furious1535
boisterous1544
blusterous1548
ungentle1551
sore1563
full-mouthed1594
savage wild1595
Herculean1602
shrill1608
robustious1612
efferous1614
thundering1618
churly1620
ferocient1655
turbulent1656
efferate1684
knock-me-down1760
haggard-wild1786
ensanguined1806
rammish1807
fulminatory1820
riproarious1830
natural1832
survigrous1835
sabre-toothed1849
cataclysmal1861
thunderous1874
fierce1912
cataractal1926
a1500 Craft of Deyng (Cambr. Kk.1.5) in R. Girvan Ratis Raving & Other Early Scots Poems (1939) 169 Sua mony of thir men gangis rammys.
1607 G. Markham Cavelarice i. 67 Stond horses naturally..are exceeding rammish, & vnruely.
1728 in H. Marwick Merchant Lairds (1936) I. 57 I am informed your atenders is two bonie for sucth ane ramse youth as you.
1757 Session Papers in Sc. National Dict. (1968) VII. (at cited word) He appeared to be a ramsh, forward, hasty Lad.
1807 J. Stagg Misc. Poems (new ed.) 134 What avail'd their ramish routs, Wi' Sampson leyke exertions.
1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. 265/2 He's gane rammish, he is in a violent rage; implying some degree of derangement.
1866 ‘S. Gilpin’ Songs & Ballads of Cumberland 281 Young Martha Todd was haister't sair By rammish Wully Barr'as.
1869 J. C. Atkinson Peacock's Gloss. Dial. Hundred of Lonsdale 67/1 Rammish, violent.
1883 W. Jolly Life J. Duncan 488 Robbie [Burns] was terrible ramsh whiles.
1929 H. Marwick Orkney Norn 138/1 Ramse,..(of a horse) violent, vigorous, impetuous.
1985 D. Purves MacCodrum o Selkies (SCOTS) Thay..pat in thair days playin wi the ramsh sea-horses.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) > family Accipitridae (hawks, etc.) > [adjective] > of hawk > wild or untrained
ramagea1393
rammist1501
rammisha1529
haggarda1566
unmanned1577
haggardly1580
unstaid1614
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Fi My hawke is rammysshe.
1593 Tell-Trothes New-yeares Gift sig. Fv The rammish hauke is tamd by carefull heed.
1655 I. Walton Compl. Angler (ed. 2) i. 19 I should inlarge my Discourse to the observation of the Eires, the Brancher, the Ramish-Hawk, the Haggard, and the two sorts of Lentners.
1727 W. Nelson Laws conc. Game 192 The plaintiff had declared for a Ramish Hawk, which is a Hawk living inter Ramos and by Consequence feræ naturæ.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
rammishv.
/ˈramɪs/, U.S. /ˈræmɪs/, Scottish English /ˈramɪs/α. pre-1700 rameis, pre-1700 rammeis, pre-1700 rammes, pre-1700 rammise, pre-1700 rammys, 1800s– rammis.
β. pre-1700 ramish, pre-1700 1900s– rammish.
Scottish. Now rare.
intransitive. To rush about in a frenzied state; to behave frantically.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > behave violently or use force [verb (intransitive)] > behave with reckless or riotous violence
to make derayc1300
reelc1400
rampc1405
rammisha1540
to run amok1672
rampage1791
tevel1828
wild1989
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > move swiftly in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > move swiftly and violently > rush around
scour1297
startlec1300
reelc1400
rammisha1540
gad1552
ramp1599
fling1620
to run rounda1623
rampage1791
to run around1822
to rip and tear1846
hella1864
running around like a chicken with its head cut off (also like a chicken with no head)1887
to haul ass1918
tear-arse1942
a1540 (c1460) G. Hay tr. Bk. King Alexander 18311 Sum kest thare armes on his sepulture And rammysand ran to the tempill dure.
a1585 A. Montgomerie Flyting with Polwart 511 [They] rammeist redwood, and raveld in their reeles.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1895) II. 1 He began..to rammise and rin wylde.
c1630 Articles against C. Oswald in R. Law Memorialls (1818) p. lv She maid their two kye run mad and rammish to deid.
1688 in H. Paton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1932) 3rd Ser. XIII. 255 His wyf..fell in a verrie strange seiknes and rammished to death.
1808 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Rammis, to go about in a state approaching to frenzy.
1913 J. Service Memorables Robin Cummell 56 She made twa o' his kye rin wud and rammish to deid.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1c1395adj.2a1500v.a1540