Link Centre Dictionary

lame

UK/leɪm/ US/ˈleɪm/ common slang
noun (2) adjective (3) verb (1)

noun

1.

someone who doesn''t understand what is going on

Synonyms
2.

a fabric interwoven with threads of metal

  • “she wore a gold lame dress”

adjective

1.

pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness

  • “a feeble excuse”
  • “a lame argument”
Synonyms
Similar
2.

(of horses) disabled in the feet or legs

Synonyms
Similar
3.

disabled in the feet or legs

  • “a crippled soldier”
  • “a game leg”
Synonyms
Similar

verb

1.

deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg

  • “The accident has crippled her for life”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English lame, from Old English lama (“lame”), from Proto-West Germanic *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz (“lame”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃lemH- (“to tire; to break”).

Phrases

  • crutches for lame ducks
  • help a lame dog over a stile
  • lame duck
  • lame sickness

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.