Meanings
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1
noun
a rod used to push a charge down the barrel of a muzzle-loading firearm or to clean a gun barrel
Huck slid the ramrod down the gun to make sure it was loaded.
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2
noun
informal: a person who directs or supervises an operation forcefully
The foreman acted as ramrod for the entire construction crew.
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3
adj
rigid, severe, or extremely stiff and upright
The officer maintained a ramrod posture throughout the inspection.
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4
verb
to force, direct, or push something through rapidly and firmly
The minister tried to ramrod the bill through the legislature.
Thesaurus
Etymology
A compound of ram + rod, first naming the rod used to ram a charge into a muzzle-loader. Its hardness and force produced figurative senses for rigid posture, a strict supervisor, and forceful direction.