lame

comparative lamer · superlative lamest

1. especiallyUnable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs.

   With the years, this horse has little by little gone lame.

   1 more example

   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

   Synonyms: crippled

   1. especiallyespecially a foot or legThat cannot be moved properly.

      Synonyms: crippled, gammy

   2. datedespeciallyoffensivePhysically disabled.

      a lame man

      Synonyms: crippled

2. broadlydatedHobbling; limping; inefficient; imperfect.

   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

   3 more examples

   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]

   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

   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

   Antonyms: efficient, perfect

3. colloquialUnconvincing or unbelievable.

   He had a really lame excuse for missing the birthday party.

   Synonyms: weak · Antonyms: convincing, believable

4. colloquialUncool, uninteresting, or unfunny.

   He kept telling these extremely lame jokes all night.

present singular third person lames · participle present laming · participle past lamed · past lamed

1. transitiveTo cause (a person or animal) to become lame.

   Now her soul felt lamed in itself. It was her hope that was struck.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 6, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   And if you don't want to lame your horse, you must look sharp and get them [stones stuck in hooves] out quickly.

   [1877], Anna Sewell, “A Job Horse and his Drivers”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part II, pages 134–135

   Synonyms: cripple, disable

plural lames

1. slangA stupid or undesirable person.

   You lames tryna clone my style and run wit it.

   2011, Lil' Kim, “Black Friday”

plural lames

1. A thin layer or plate of material, as in certain kinds of armor.

   These pauldrons are generally asymmetrical with the left pauldron wider than the right, which is cut away for the passage of the lance. It would be attached to the shoulder by points through a restored leather tab on the top lame at the apex […]

   2015, Anne Curry, Malcolm Mercer, The Battle of Agincourt, Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 120

   1 more example

   This rim involved a raised rolled edge on the rerebrace that was inserted into a raised lip on the lower lame of the pauldron. This lip allows the arm to rotate without the need for leather straps and can be clearly seen carved on to the effigy […]

   2013, Paul F Walker, History of Armour 1100-1700, Crowood, →ISBN

   Synonyms: lamella, lamina

2. in pluralA set of joined overlapping metal plates.
3. A kitchen tool for scoring bread dough before baking.

1. A surname.