lame

[ leym ]

See synonyms for: lame lamed lamest lames on Thesaurus.com

adjective,lam·er, lam·est.

physically disabled, especially in the foot or leg so as to limp or walk with difficulty: a lame racehorse.
impaired or disabled through defect or injury: a lame arm.

weak; inadequate; unsatisfactory; clumsy: a lame excuse.
Slang: Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. awkward, dull, stupid, or uninteresting.
Slang: Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. out of touch with modern fads or trends; unsophisticated.

verb (used with object),lamed, lam·ing.

to make lame or defective.

noun

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

Origin of lame

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

usage note For lame

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.

Other words from lame

lamely, adverb
lameness, noun

Words that may be confused with lame

lame , lamé

Other definitions for lame (2 of 3)

lame²

[ leym; French lam ]

noun,plural lames

[leym; French lam]. /leɪm; French lam/. Armor.

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

Origin of lame

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

Other definitions for lamé (3 of 3)

lamé

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

noun

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

Origin of lamé

1920–25; <French, equivalent to lamelame² + -é<Latin -ātus-ate¹

Words that may be confused with lamé

lame, lamé

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lame in a sentence

In the pilot, Brooks proves himself to be the lamest cop of all time by agreeing to lead the headless horseman to his head.
‘Sleepy Hollow’ Is TV’s Craziest, Most Over-the-Top New Show ... And You Should Watch It | Amy Zimmerman | October 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
And this fifth Twilight film is by far the lamest in the franchise.
Why ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 2’ Jumps the Shark | Ramin Setoodeh | November 16, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
The person with authority on that stage was Romney—offered it by one of the lamest moderators ever, and seized with relish.
Andrew Sullivan’s Presidential Debate Live Blog | Andrew Sullivan | October 4, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
Then there is the movie that features the single lamest performance of the year—with Adam Sandler in drag.
Flick Picks: 2011's Best and Worst Movies (Video) | Ramin Setoodeh, Peter Travers | December 28, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
Richardson is now the lamest of lame ducks; his in-state approval ratings have plummeted to his all-time low of 41 percent.
The Man Obama Double-Crossed | Sally Denton | March 12, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST

I have stumbled through these works with the lamest knowledge of Greek, and with no one to help me.
Is Polite Society Polite? | Julia Ward Howe
Jean Lanni could see that his girl friend, Judy Stokes, thought it was the lamest excuse she had ever heard.
Droozle | Frank Banta
Sir John Davies is light of touch and a light of poetic glory lies on the lamest "opinion."
The Complete Poems of Sir John Davies. Volume 1 of 2. | John Davies
I sank back on the seat I had left, and said to myself that this was the lamest of all conclusions.
Under the Red Robe | Stanley Weyman
Unfortunately, this Graybridge slander is one of the very lamest of canards.
The Doctor's Wife | M. E. Braddon

British Dictionary definitions for lame (1 of 3)

lame¹

/ (leɪm) /

adjective

disabled or crippled in the legs or feet
painful or weak: a lame back

weak; unconvincing: a lame excuse
not effective or enthusiastic: a lame try
US slang conventional or uninspiring

verb

(tr) to make lame

Origin of lame

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

Derived forms of lame

lamely, adverb
lameness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for lame (2 of 3)

lame²

/ (leɪm) /

noun

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

Origin of lame

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

British Dictionary definitions for lamé (3 of 3)

lamé

/ (ˈlɑːmeɪ) /

noun

- a fabric of silk, cotton, or wool interwoven with threads of metal
- (as modifier): a gold lamé gown

Origin of lamé

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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