lam

¹ American  

[lam] / læm /

verb (used with object)

lammed, lamming

1. to beat; thrash.

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verb (used without object)

lammed, lamming

1. to beat; strike; thrash (usually followed by out orinto ).

lam ² American  

[lam] / læm /

noun

1. a hasty escape; flight.

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verb (used without object)

lammed, lamming

1. to run away quickly; escape; flee.

   I'm going to lam out of here as soon as I've finished.

idioms

1. on the lam,  escaping, fleeing, or hiding, especially from the police.

   He's been on the lam ever since he escaped from jail.

2. take it on the lam,  to flee or escape in great haste.

   The swindler took it on the lam and was never seen again.

lām ³ American  

[lahm] / lɑm /

noun

1. the 23rd letter of the Arabic alphabet.

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Lam ⁴ American  

[lahm, lam] / lɑm, læm /

noun

1. Wifredo or Wilfredo 1902–82, Cuban painter in Europe.

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lam. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. laminated.

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Lam. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

Bible.

1. Lamentations.

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lam ¹ British  

/ læm /

noun

1. a sudden flight or escape, esp to avoid arrest

2. 1. making an escape

   2. in hiding

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verb

1. (intr) to escape or flee

lam ² British  

/ læm /

verb

1. (tr) to thrash or beat

2. (intr; usually foll by into or out) to make a sweeping stroke or blow

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Lam. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Lamentations

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lam More Idioms  

1. see on the lam.

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Etymology

Origin of lam¹

1590–1600; < Old Norse lamdi, past tense of lemja to beat; akin to lame ¹

Origin of lam²

1885–90; special use of lam ¹. Compare beat it! be off!

Origin of lām³

From Arabic; lambda

Example Sentences

The gang behind the Louvre heist was on the lam barely a week.

From The Wall Street Journal

Or, in this case, that Manchester — on the lam after escaping prison — ends up falling in love with Leigh and being embraced by her family and community.

From Los Angeles Times

When House Democrats last walked out in 2021 to stop new state voter restrictions, lawmakers were on the lam for over a month before the caucus fractured and enough members returned to restore quorum.

From Salon

What are the odds that Luke would randomly buy a salvaged droid that just so happened to be on the lam from his own daddy?

From Los Angeles Times

A gifted computer programmer, avid skydiver and motorcycle racer, Landi had been a man on the lam for roughly a decade.

From Los Angeles Times