‘my mam would have had a fit if I'd gone out dressed like that’
‘I had to look after the other children while Mam worked’
‘But mam, I can't stay in the same room as them!’
‘The hardest task was to go to mam in her eighties and break the news.’
‘I managed to say goodbye to mam and my siblings by making myself think of something else as we hugged, but my dad, to whom I was closest, locked himself in the bathroom.’
‘What do people do now if both Mam and Dad have to work nights?’
‘I remember once, many years ago, trying to get off school by telling my dear old mam that I had a terrible ear-ache.’
‘Going to the Olympia theatre in Dublin with mam and dad was the best.’
2US informal A term of respectful or polite address used for any woman.
‘“You all ride them horses down here?” “Yes, mam.”’
‘‘No mam, we don't go giving out the addresses of our stars.’’
‘No mam, I swear I'm who I claim to be… but I have to go.’
‘Yes mam, they should be ready within 15 minutes.’
‘It would mean a lot to me mam.’
‘I know that mam.’
‘‘Yes mam,’ said the main gunner.’
‘OK mam, let's go ahead and shut it down, then we'll power it back up‘.’
‘‘I'm sorry mam,’ said a little girl of about nine.’
‘We are currently 18 hours away from their current position, mam.’
‘I'm sorry mam, but pizza is all I'm able to afford at the moment.’
‘‘Yes, mam,’ the assistant replied, quickly scurrying away.’
‘‘Yes mam,’ Terence said.’
‘Yes, mam, would you like to view the owner's box when you come?’
‘Excuse me, mam, but do you have any room for two soaked people?’
‘OK, mam, I think the only person that can help you right now is your janitor, so try to reach him as fast as you can, OK?’
‘I'm sorry mam, but there were no phone calls taken for you.’
‘‘Yes mam,’ she confirmed, smiling, making an effort to make a first good impression.’
‘Birthday wishes come to them both from Paul and Statia, Dad and Mam and grandparents.’
‘One minute you're there, mam and dad and family around you, you're poor and you've got holes in your shoes, but you're a normal person.’
‘I'm not going to stop just because Mam has a bed now.’
Origin
Mid 16th century (in mam (sense 1)): perhaps imitative of a child's first syllables (see mama); mam (sense 2) is a variant of ma'am.
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