verb
Uncommon
lam
lam
Lam (verb) means to hit or beat someone hard. Example: “He threatened to lam anyone who touched his bike.”
verb
1
To hit or beat someone hard.
"He threatened to lam anyone who touched his bike."
2
To run away or flee, especially from the police.
"The suspect lammed out the back door the moment sirens sounded."
noun
1
An escape or flight, especially from custody or the law — chiefly in the phrase "on the lam."
"He'd been on the lam for six months before they caught him."
How to use lam
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither to hit someone hard, or to make a run for it — most commonly heard today in the phrase "on the lam," meaning hiding from the law.
Common pairings
on the lam
lam out of here
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Word forms
- Plural
- lams
- Third person singular
- lams
- Past tense
- lammed
Fill the gap
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He threatened to _____ anyone who touched his bike.
Etymology
From Middle English lamen/lemen, going back to Old English and Old Norse roots meaning "to make lame" — the "beat" sense came first, and "flee" grew out of underworld slang in the early 1900s.
Class of 1900
lam joined the language around 1900.
See the full Class of 1900 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for lam
See all rhymes for lam →Frequently asked questions
What does “lam” mean?
The word “lam” means to hit or beat someone hard. In plain terms, either to hit someone hard, or to make a run for it — most commonly heard today in the phrase "on the lam," meaning hiding from the law.
How do you pronounce “lam”?
“Lam” is pronounced lam (/læm/ in IPA).
How do you use “lam” in a sentence?
Here is “lam” used in a sentence: “He threatened to lam anyone who touched his bike.”
What part of speech is “lam”?
Depending on how it is used, “lam” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “lam” come from?
The word “lam” dates back to around 1900 and comes from Old English. From Middle English lamen/lemen, going back to Old English and Old Norse roots meaning "to make lame" — the "beat" sense came first, and "flee" grew out of underworld slang in the early 1900s.
Is “lam” a common word?
“Lam” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “lam” have?
“Lam” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to hit or beat someone hard.
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