lam
lam Lexical Profile
lam Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A hasty escape or flight, especially from the police or legal authorities (used chiefly in the phrase 'on the lam').
"The suspect spent three months on the lam before finally turning himself in to the authorities."
• verb
To hit, beat, or thrash someone or something soundly (informal).
"The batter stepped up to the plate and lammed the pitch deep into the outfield stands."
North American To flee or run away hastily, especially to evade capture (slang).
"The Accomplice lammed out the back door as soon as he heard the approaching sirens."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a noun meaning a hasty flight from the law, 'lam' is used almost exclusively in the fixed idiom 'on the lam' and should not be confused with its homophone 'lamb' (a young sheep).
• Rhymes for lam
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb 'lam' (meaning to beat soundly) dates to the late 16th century, likely of Scandinavian origin akin to Old Norse 'lemja' (to thrash or lame); the American slang sense of fleeing ('on the lam') emerged in the late 19th century from idioms like 'beat it'.