gammy
/'gæmi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective (British informal):
- Sore, lame, or injured: Used to describe a body part, especially a leg or foot, that is painful, stiff, or not functioning properly due to injury, arthritis, or age.
- Faulty or not working correctly: Can be extended informally to describe an object that is broken or defective.
Usage and Examples
Describing a physical ailment:
- He was walking slowly with a gammy leg.
- I can't play football today; I've got a gammy knee.
Describing a faulty object (informal extension):
- The table's a bit gammy; one leg is shorter than the others.
- We had to replace the gammy switch on the old radio.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- The term is primarily used in British and Irish informal speech. It is less common in formal or American English.
- It often carries a tone of affectionate complaint or resignation about a chronic, minor disability, rather than a severe, acute injury.
- "To go gammy": to become lame or stop working properly.
- My wrist has gone gammy from all that typing.
Variants and Related Words
- Gammy leg/foot/knee/etc.: The typical collocation. The adjective almost always precedes the name of the body part.
- Game (adj, archaic): An older, related slang term meaning "lame," which is the likely origin of "gammy."
Synonyms
- Lame: Unable to walk normally because of an injury or defect.
- Bad: (e.g., a bad back)
- Dodgy (UK informal): Unsound, unreliable, or not functioning well.
- Crook (Australian/NZ informal): Ill, injured, or faulty.
Antonyms
- Sound: In good condition; not damaged or diseased.
- Healthy: In good health.
- Functional: Working properly.
Notes on Meaning
- The provided Vietnamese reference definition ("dũng cảm, anh dũng, gan dạ" - brave, courageous, daring) is incorrect for the modern English word "gammy". This appears to be a definition for an entirely different, likely archaic, slang term "gamey" or "game". The core and correct meaning of "gammy" in contemporary English is sore or lame.
Adjective
- (British informal) sore or lame
- a gammy foot