lame
lame Lexical Profile
lame Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
(of an explanation, excuse, or argument) Unconvincing, weak, and unsatisfactory.
"He offered a lame excuse about his alarm clock failing to go off."
(informal) Dull, uninspiring, socially awkward, or lacking in appeal.
"The party was pretty lame, so we decided to leave before midnight."
Unable to walk normally because of an injury or illness affecting the leg or foot.
"The veterinarian examined the horse after it went lame in its right front leg."
• noun
A thin fabric woven with metallic threads of gold or silver, often spelled 'lamé'.
"The actress wore a shimmering gold lame gown to the premiere."
A double-sided blade tool used in baking to slash the tops of bread loaves before baking.
"The baker used a sharp lame to score a decorative leaf pattern into the sourdough."
(historical) A thin overlapping metal plate used in medieval armor to provide flexibility at joints.
"The gauntlet was constructed from several articulated lames of tempered steel."
• verb
To make a person or animal unable to walk normally by injuring a leg or foot.
"Stepping into the hidden burrow lamed the stallion for the rest of the season."
Word Nuance & Usage
When describing people with physical disabilities, 'lame' is now considered outdated and offensive; specific clinical or person-first terms are preferred. In informal usage meaning 'uninspiring' or 'uncool', it remains common, though some style guides advise against it in formal contexts due to its ableist origins. Do not confuse with the textile noun 'lamé' (pronounced lah-MAY), which refers to fabric woven with metallic threads.
• Rhymes for lame
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'lama', meaning crippled, weak, or paralytic, derived from Proto-Germanic '*lamon', which referred to having bruised or weakened limbs.