Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small four-wheeled carriage for a baby: A "pram" is a wheeled vehicle designed to transport an infant or young child, typically pushed by a person walking. It is characterized by having a deep, often hooded, body where the child lies or sits reclined.

Usage

• Primary Use: The word "pram" is used to refer to the baby carriage itself.
  • She pushed the pram along the park path.
  • We need to buy a new pram before the baby arrives.

Advanced Usage

• "To be in the pram": To be a very young baby or toddler.
  • He's been interested in cars since he was in the pram.
• "Pram-friendly": Describing a route, establishment, or facility that is accessible or suitable for someone pushing a pram.
  • This café is very pram-friendly, with wide aisles.

Variants and Related Words

• Baby carriage (noun): A synonym for "pram," more common in American English.
• Stroller (noun): A lighter, often collapsible, chair-like vehicle for a child who can sit up. (Note: A "stroller" is generally for older infants/toddlers than a traditional "pram").
• Perambulator (noun): The formal, full term from which "pram" is derived as a colloquial shortening.

Synonyms

• Baby buggy: Another informal term for a pram or stroller.
• Pushchair: A term common in British English that can encompass both prams and strollers.

Related Phrases

• Pram in the hall: A phrase, often used in discussions about artistic or intellectual life, symbolizing the domestic responsibilities and distractions of parenthood.
  • The novelist complained that the "pram in the hall" was the enemy of good art.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "pram" is chiefly used in British English and other Commonwealth countries. In American English, "baby carriage" or "stroller" are more common.
• Historically, a "pram" (short for "perambulator") referred specifically to a carriage where the baby lies flat, distinguishing it from an upright "stroller." In modern casual usage, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Noun

1. a small vehicle with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed around