[Origin uncertain.
It has been conjectured to be the same as the name of Joram who ‘brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass,’ 2 Sam. viii. 10. Cf. JEROBOAM (It can scarcely be connected with WFlem. djooren, djoorn, half a pint.)]
A large drinking-bowl or vessel; also, the contents of this; esp. a bowl of punch.
1730. Fielding, Auth. Farce, III. air xiii. The usurer is a swallow, sir, That can swallow gold by the jorum.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., I. ii. Then come put the jorum about, And let us be merry and clever.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., Jorum, a jug, or large pitcher.
1791. Burns, ‘O May, thy morn.’ ii. Here’s to them that, like oursel, Can push about the jorum.
1823. Lockhart, Reg. Dalton, I. xi. (1842), 69. A huge jorum of mulled port.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, xxxvii. The host smiled … and shortly afterwards returned with a steaming jorum.
1868. Miss Braddon, Run to Earth, III. ix. 148. I know how to brew a decent jorum of punch when I give my mind to it.
b. fig. A large quantity.
1872. S. J. Mackenna, in Gentl. Mag., Dec., 632. Treated to a jorum of gossip.
