lame

¹

[ leym ]

adjective

, lam·er, lam·est.

1. physically disabled, especially in the foot or leg so as to limp or walk with difficulty:

   a lame racehorse.

2. impaired or disabled through defect or injury:

   a lame arm.

3. weak; inadequate; unsatisfactory; clumsy:

   a lame excuse.

4. Slang: Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. awkward, dull, stupid, or uninteresting.
5. Slang: Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. out of touch with modern fads or trends; unsophisticated.

verb (used with object)

, lamed, lam·ing.

1. to make lame or defective.

noun

1. Slang: Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. a person who is out of touch with modern fads or trends, especially one who is unsophisticated.

lame

²

[ leym; French lam ]

noun

, Armor.

, plural lames [leym, l, a, m].

1. any of a number of thin, overlapping plates composing a piece of plate armor, as a fauld, tasset, or gauntlet.

lamé

³

[ lah-mey, la-; French la-mey ]

noun

1. an ornamental fabric in which metallic threads, as of gold or silver, are woven with silk, wool, rayon, or cotton.

lame

¹

/ leɪm /

adjective

1. disabled or crippled in the legs or feet
2. painful or weak

   a lame back

3. weak; unconvincing

   a lame excuse

4. not effective or enthusiastic

   a lame try

5. slang.
   conventional or uninspiring

verb

1. tr to make lame

lamé

²

/ ˈlɑːmeɪ /

noun

1. 1. a fabric of silk, cotton, or wool interwoven with threads of metal
   2. ( as modifier )

      a gold lamé gown

lame

³

/ leɪm /

noun

1. one of the overlapping metal plates used in armour after about 1330; splint

Sensitive Note

Many speakers do not recognize or consider the connection between the medical and slang senses of lame . Nevertheless, using a term associated with injury or disability as a general insult is sometimes perceived as insensitive to or by people with disabilities.

Derived Forms

• ˈlameness, noun
• ˈlamely, adverb

Other Words From

• lamely adverb
• lameness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lame¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English (adjective and verb); Old English lama (adjective); cognate with Dutch lam, German lahm, Old Norse lami; akin to Lithuanian lúomas

Origin of lame²

1580–90; < Middle French < Latin lāmina a thin piece or plate

Origin of lame³

1920–25; < French, equivalent to lame lame ² + -é < Latin -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lame¹

Old English lama; related to Old Norse lami, German lahm

Origin of lame²

from French, from Old French lame gold or silver thread, thin plate, from Latin lāmina thin plate

Origin of lame³

C16: via Old French from Latin lāmina a thin plate, lamina

Example Sentences

One of the most persistent myths in American politics is the media-fueled concept of the lame duck.

From The Daily Beast

Almost every two-term president gets a pasting in the midterms, but Obama now faces lame-duck issues on an historic scale.

From The Daily Beast

In the short term, any hopes for an active lame-duck session will rest on the results of the election, King said.

From The Daily Beast

What he had created was a quick Web tool, but QuickWeb sounded lame, as if conjured up by a com­mittee at Microsoft.

From The Daily Beast

Also, he gave a lame excuse: ‘I couldn't find a pic that expresses both sides.’

From The Daily Beast

My head feels quite lame from so much practicing, the consequence, I suppose, of so much listening.

From Project Gutenberg

Next morning the hero of Wagram, lame from the effect of a kick from his horse, was summoned before the Emperor.

From Project Gutenberg

His donkey had gone lame, he abandoned it to the boys behind, he climbed in to drive with Lettice.

From Project Gutenberg

As she turned the corner, a lame child in a calico dress and torn hood staggered past her bent with the weight of a heavy basket.

From Project Gutenberg

Some one must have noticed that they were more apt to be lame after sitting on the cold ground while they were warm.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• feeble
• flimsy
• ineffective
• weak