English Reference

Word

gam

UK/ɡˈæm/

Definition

n. a very small amount of something. It is an old-fashioned way to say 'a little bit' or 'a tiny bit'.

n. a small quantity or amount of something. Primarily used in the fixed phrase 'a gam' to indicate a minute portion.

Examples

“I would like a gam of that sweet wine.”

“The recipe calls for a gam of salt to bring out the flavor of the vegetables.”

“In the old folk tales, the hero often travels for a gam of time before encountering the first of many trials.”

Examples

simple

“I would like a gam of that sweet wine.”

contextual

“The recipe calls for a gam of salt to bring out the flavor of the vegetables.”

complex

“In the old folk tales, the hero often travels for a gam of time before encountering the first of many trials.”

Real-World Examples

“One of the other criticisms of the scheme has been that providers have gamed the system, offering unnecessary and expensive services.”
BBC News · 12 Aug 2026
“A fast crawl was not enough; people wanted results that were relevant, current, and not obviously gamed.”
Ars Technica · 7 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/gam

English Reference