I. ˈlām adjective
( lam·er ; lam·est )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lama; akin to Old High German lam lame, Lithuanian limti to break down
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : having a body part and especially a limb so disabled as to impair freedom of movement
b. : marked by stiffness and soreness
a lame shoulder
2. : lacking needful or desirable substance : weak , ineffectual
a lame excuse
3. slang : not being in the know : square
4.
a. : inferior
a lame school
b. : contemptible , nasty
lame racist jokes
• lame·ly adverb
• lame·ness noun
II. transitive verb
( lamed ; lam·ing )
Date: 14th century
1. : to make lame : cripple
2. : to make weak or ineffective : disable
III. noun
Date: 1959
slang : a person who is not in the know : square
IV. ˈlām, ˈlam noun
Etymology: Middle French, from Latin lamina
Date: circa 1586
1. : a thin plate especially of metal : lamina
2. plural : small overlapping steel plates joined to slide on one another (as in medieval armor)