/ lɪmp; NAmE / adjective , verb , noun
■ adjective
1.
lacking strength or energy :
His hand went limp and the knife clattered to the ground.
She felt limp and exhausted.
2.
not stiff or firm :
The hat had become limp and shapeless.
► limp·ly adverb :
Her hair hung limply over her forehead.
■ verb [ v ]
1.
to walk slowly or with difficulty because one leg is injured :
She had twisted her ankle and was limping.
Matt limped painfully off the field.
2.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to move slowly or with difficulty after being damaged :
The plane limped back to the airport.
( figurative )
The government was limping along in its usual way.
■ noun
[ usually sing. ] a way of walking in which one leg is used less than normal because it is injured or stiff :
to walk with a slight / pronounced limp
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun and verb late Middle English (in the sense fall short of ): related to obsolete limphalt lame , and probably of Germanic origin.
adjective early 18th cent.: of unknown origin; perhaps related to limp (verb), having the basic sense hanging loose.