[may.hem] n [ME mayme, fr. AF mahaim, fr. OF, loss of a limb, fr. maynier to maim, prob. of Gmc origin; akin to MHG meiden gelding, ON meitha to injure] (15c) 1 a: willful and permanent deprivation of a bodily member resulting in the impairment of a person's fighting ability b: willful and permanent crippling, mutilation, or disfigurement of any part of the body
2: needless or willful damage or violence