lame en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English lame, from Old English lama (“lame”), from Proto-West Germanic *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz (“lame”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃lemH- (“to tire; to break”).
Meanings
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(especially, of an animal) Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs.
Alone, alone, to where he sits, The Shadow cloak’d from head to foot Who keeps the keys of all the creeds, I wander, often falling lame, And looking back to whence I came, Or on to where the pathway leads; […]
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 39:With the years, this horse has little by little gone lame.
- (especially, of a limb, of an animal, qualifier:especially a foot or leg) Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs. ▸ That cannot be moved properly.
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(dated, especially, of an animal, offensive) Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs. ▸ Physically disabled.
a lame man
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(broadly, dated) Hobbling; limping; inefficient; imperfect.
O, most lame and impotent conclusion![…]
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:a lame endeavour
a. 1678 (date written), Isaac Barrow, “(please specify the chapter name or sermon number)”, in The Works of Dr. Isaac Barrow. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: A[braham] J[ohn] Valpy, […], published 1830–1831, →OCLC:The ی consonant is our English y[…] It is really a sad mistake for us, who possess this useful consonant, to adopt the lame expedient to which other languages are forced to have recourse, namely, the use of the vowel i, with or without the diaresis over it.
1856, J. W. Redhouse, An English and Turkish Dictionary, page xx:It is the remark of an ingenious writer, should a barbarous Indian, who had never seen a palace or a ship, view their separate and disjointed parts, and observe the pillars, doors, windows, cornices and turrets of the one, or the prow and stern, the ribs and masts, the ropes and shrouds, the sails and tackle of the other, he would be able to form but a very lame and dark idea of either of those excellent and useful inventions.
1801, Isaac Watts, The improvement of the mind, or A supplement to the art of logic:
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(colloquial) Unconvincing or unbelievable.
He had a really lame excuse for missing the birthday party.
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(colloquial) Uncool, uninteresting, or unfunny.
He kept telling these extremely lame jokes all night.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| lamer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| lamest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
efficient · believable · perfect · convincing
Deriveds
lamebrained · lamesauce · lame sickness · lameo · lamish · lamestream · lamehead · lamewad · lame duck · lame-head · lame-stream · unlame · lamely · lameoid · lamage · lamebrain · lamer · lame-o · lamester · crutches for lame ducks · help a lame dog over a stile · lameass · lametastic · lameness
Synonyms
crippled · weak · crippled · gammy · crippled
Translations (252)
ar أَشَلّ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pl słaby (slang: unconvincing) · ab аҭуԥа́л (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · bg безинтересен (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ru хрома́ющий (by extension, hobbling) · cmn 跛 (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nn teit (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · mk куц (by extension, hobbling) · fr poche (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · pnt ξεροπόδαρος (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · mi waehauā (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ab а́цыркь (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ja 足の不自由な (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ro șchiop (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi ontuva (slang: unconvincing) · es monsefú (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ar أَعْرَج (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · eo lama (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fr naze (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · nl lam (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · hy կաղ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · eo malmojosa (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · fi huono (slang: unconvincing) · ru хромо́й (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · scn ciancatu (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fy mank (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ru сла́бый (slang: unconvincing) · grc σκιμβός (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · sk chromý (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi tyhmä (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · th เสี่ยว (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · acw سخيف (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · fi tyhmä (slang: unconvincing) · hi पंगु (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · bg скучен (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · fr nul (slang: unconvincing) · mk до́саден (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · es renco (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pt coxo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · izh rampa (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ka ბანძი (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · th ฟังไม่ขึ้น (slang: unconvincing) · xag 𐕄𐔰𐔾𐔰 (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · hu sánta (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nl verlamd (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · sh hrom (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · gl coxo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ca coix (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pl kuśtykający (by extension, hobbling) · pt chato (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · scn ciuncu (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pl kiepski (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · hu béna (moving with difficulty) · ro sters (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · th กระย่องกระแย่ง (moving with difficulty) · nap sciancato (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · oc garrèl (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · mi tūparaka (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ru беспонто́вый (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · es fome (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · sh хром (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · cmn 瘸腿 (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ba сатан (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · de ätzend (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ca sonso (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · hi अपंग (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · gl rengo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pl kulejący (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th โขยกเขยก (moving with difficulty) · ru неубеди́тельный (slang: unconvincing) · ro handicapat (moving with difficulty) · tr topal (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · mi tahakopa (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · qu wist'u (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fa لنگ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · hi लँगड़ा (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nl mank (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · da lam (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · la claudus (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · sv lam (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · pt manco (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pt capenga (by extension, hobbling) · hi लंग (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ia claude (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · an coixo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fr bateau (slang: unconvincing) · hu átlátszó (slang: unconvincing) · scn acciuncatu (moving with difficulty) · oge მკელობელი (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fur çuet (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · bg неубедителен (slang: unconvincing) · hu sántikáló (by extension, hobbling) · vec soto (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · scn ciuncu (moving with difficulty) · sv lam (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ro jalnic (slang: unconvincing) · nl flauw (slang: unconvincing) · hu béna (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · fi heikko (slang: unconvincing) · dlm zuap (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi heikko (by extension, hobbling) · th เห่ย (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · it zoppo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · qu magro (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · es monse (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · fi ontuva (by extension, hobbling) · es chafa (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · it stupido (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · he צוֹלֵעַ (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · acw بايخ (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ab акәылԥаа́ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th ย่องแย่ง (moving with difficulty) · th เสร่อ (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · it patetico (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · mk куц (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · acw أعرج (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th แป้ก (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · vec çoto (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ro anost (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · tsg pilay (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · uk кульга́вий (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · es cojo (slang: unconvincing) · th เชย (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · rup shcljop (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ar أَعْرَج (moving with difficulty) · nl flauw (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ja 足の悪い (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · mk неу́бедлив (slang: unconvincing) · es cojo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · el χωλός (moving with difficulty) · grc χωλός (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pdt lom (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · bho लंगड़ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · aln shkep (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · os къуылых (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ro plictisitor (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · mi hauā (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th เฉิ่ม (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · is lamaður (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi ontuva (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · pt sem graça (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · mk неинте́ресен (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · mk здо́девен (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · da lamt (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · cmn 遜 /逊 (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · cs chromý (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · el αστείος (slang: unconvincing) · scn acciuncatu (by extension, hobbling) · el κουτσός (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pt capenga (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · lt luošas (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · lb schlamm (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · te కుంటి (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th ห่วย (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · arz أعرج (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · tr geyik (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · mnc ᡩᠣᡥᠣᠯᠣᠨ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · lt šlubas (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ro slab (slang: unconvincing) · th ขากะเผลก (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · vec cionpo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · mn доголон (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · cs chabý (slang: unconvincing) · nl mankend (moving with difficulty) · ro schiopatand (moving with difficulty) · ca ranc (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · de öde (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · th ขาพิการ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · rm zop (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fr boiteux (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ja 寒い (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ab а́цыркьзаара (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pl kiepski (slang: unconvincing) · el χωλός (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ru отсто́йный (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · scn ciuncu (by extension, hobbling) · fi laimea (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · es soso (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · fi rampa (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · mi totitoti (by extension, hobbling) · fr nul (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ast coxu (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · udi кӏала (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · scn zoppu (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · bg куц (by extension, hobbling) · es arrengado (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th ขาเป๋ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · cmn 跛足 (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pt perneta (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · bg куц (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th กะโผลกกะเผลก (moving with difficulty) · fi heikko (moving with difficulty) · ro lipsit de gust (slang: unconvincing) · th กาก (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · th กระจอก (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · sq çalë (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi typerä (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ru искале́ченный (moving with difficulty) · et nõme (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · qu sucu (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pnt κοτσός (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pt palha (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ru уве́чный (moving with difficulty) · be кульга́вы (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · oc ranc (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · pt manco (moving with difficulty) · ka კოჭლი (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th โผลกเผลก (moving with difficulty) · pt fraco (slang: unconvincing) · el αστήρικτος (slang: unconvincing) · ru хрома́ющий (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ab ацыркьыԥа (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · hu nyomorék (moving with difficulty) · pl kulawy (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ota طوپال (moving with difficulty) · fr pitoyable (slang: unconvincing) · es rengo (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th กระง่องกระแง่ง (moving with difficulty) · fr ringard (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · pt capenga (slang: unconvincing) · scn zoppu (by extension, hobbling) · ba аҡһаҡ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · vec zhot (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · de lahm (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ro olog (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · id cupu (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · ar أَكْسَح (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ang lama (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · he צוֹלֵעַ (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nl wankel (by extension, hobbling) · th ง่อยเปลี้ยเสียขา (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nl mankend (by extension, hobbling) · lzh-lit 蹇 (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nl kreupel (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ota طوپال (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · nl kreupel (moving with difficulty) · ga bacach (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fr boiteuse (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th ง่องแง่ง (moving with difficulty) · az topal (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · th กะเผลก (moving with difficulty) · pl chromy (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · el κουτσός (moving with difficulty) · qu hank'a (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi rampa (moving with difficulty) · th ง่อย (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fi ontuva (moving with difficulty) · tr topal (moving with difficulty) · eo kripla (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · ja ださい (slang: failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant) · cmn 瘸 (unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) · fr bancal (slang: unconvincing)