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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RAME, v., n. Also rhame, r(h)aim, r(h)aem(e); remm, remb; ream; ram; rhume (Ork.); ruim (Marw.). Cf. Rane. [re:m]

I. v. 1. To cry aloud, to shout, roar (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; n.Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also in n.Eng. dial.

2. To repeat, recite, declaim (Sc. 1880 Jam.); to drone on in monotonous fashion, prate (Uls. 1967).Sc. 1703 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) I. 43:
“Thou shalt not eat of a cuckou,” “because,” sayes he, “shee remms still over the same thing.”Slk. 1820 Hogg Tales (1874) 188:
Just rhaim rhaim rhaiming aye the same thing ower again, like gouks i' June.Edb. 1839 D. Moir Mansie Wauch xxii.:
A cleipy woman . . . that rhaemed away, and better rhaemed away, about the Prentice's Pillar.Ags. 1879 J. Guthrie Poems 61:
Ay! on that thrum he's sure to ream For mony hours!s.Sc. 1898 E. Hamilton Mawkin xi.:
I canna make top tail nor mane of the bit song you been rhaming o'er.

3. To dwell on a subject persistently, to whine over a grievance, to “harp” on about one's troubles (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Vbl.n. raimin, ramin, a persistent crying for something, as of a sick child.Slk. 1875 Border Treasury (20 Feb.) 343:
Ye'se no hae that to rhame about lang.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 418:
It wus the Fivver it had, an whun it gat the turn it took sick a raimin for troots tae eat.Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 18:
A'm fair hert-seek o that; ee've raimd on't aa nicht.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' Ling 51:
The münelicht sea — It rugs at the he'rt o' me, An' rames an' rames eternally.

4. To talk nonsense, to rave (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., remb; Ork. 1887 Jam., rhume; Sh. 1904 E.D.D., 1914 Angus Gl.); to exaggerate, to tell tall stories or lies (Edm., Angus; Ork. 1929 Marw.). Also in n.Eng. dial. Ppl.adj. raiman, nonsensical (Ork. 1967). Deriv. rember, one who talls improbable stories (Edm., Angus).Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 113:
And, Willie, never rake frae hame, Wi' cronies dear, to rant and rhame.Fif. 1886 W. Wilson Echoes of Anvil 174:
And ravin' and reamin' in open daylicht, They quaffed wi' the furies that haunted their hame.Sh. 1893 Sinclair MS. 4:
Lass, lass, quat rød is dis? Du's shørly rembin!Sh. 1919 T. Manson Peat Comm. II. 194:
Yiss, ramin, ravin mad at Betty sood be abune her edder wan wye or da idder.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
He was sittan there just ruiman oot o' him.Ork. 1930 Orcadian (13 Feb.):
A person who talked raiman stoit.

II. n. A phrase, remark or exclamation repeated over and over (Sc. 1808 Jam.), a refrain, rigmarole; a continuous whining complaint.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
It is said of one, He has ay ae rame, when he continues to cry for the same thing, or to repeat the same sound.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck vii.:
“Does he ever mention the king in his prayer?” “O yes: always.” “What does he say about him?” “Something about the sceptre of righteousness, and the standard of truth. I ken he has some rhame about him.”Sc. 1880 Jam.:
His rame o' that sang has spoilt it.e.Lth. 1885 S. Mucklebackit Rural Rhymes 179:
Here goes at a kind o' rame on Mucklebackit and his wife to the tune o' “Oh! Jamie Lad.”Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 26:
Thinkin', nae doot, sae near his hame That Tam wad laithless stert his rhaim.