lame

/leim/

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The word "lame" can have a few different meanings and uses in English. Let’s break it down to help you understand it better.

Basic Definition:

1. Adjective:

   • Physical Meaning: "Lame" can describe a person or animal that has difficulty walking due to an injury or a physical condition. For example, "The dog was lame after it hurt its leg."
   • Figurative Meaning: "Lame" can also mean something that is weak, unconvincing, or not effective. For example, "His excuse for being late was really lame."

2. Noun:

   • "Lame" can refer to a type of shiny fabric that has metal threads woven into it. For example, "She wore a beautiful gold lame dress to the party."

3. Verb:

   • As a verb, "lame" means to cause someone to be unable to walk properly, usually due to an injury. For example, "The accident has lame her for life."

Usage Instructions:

• When using "lame" to describe a physical condition, it often refers to animals or people who cannot walk normally.
• When using "lame" in a figurative sense, it can describe ideas, excuses, or arguments that are weak or unpersuasive.

Examples:

• Physical: "After the injury, he was lame and needed crutches to walk."
• Figurative: "That was a lame excuse for not completing your homework."
• Noun: "She chose a stunning silver lame fabric for her dress."
• Verb: "He was lamed in the accident and now uses a wheelchair."

Advanced Usage:

• In more advanced contexts, "lame" can be used in discussions about physical disabilities or in critiques of arguments in debates.
• "Lame" is sometimes used in informal speech among younger people to describe something that is considered boring or uncool.

Word Variants:

• Lameness (noun): The condition of being lame. Example: "The lameness of the horse was unfortunate."
• Lame-brain (informal noun): A silly or foolish person. Example: "Don't be such a lame-brain; think before you act!"

Different Meanings:

• Literal: Referring to physical disability.
• Figurative: Referring to something that lacks quality or effectiveness.

Synonyms:

• For physical meaning: disabled, crippled, limping.
• For figurative meaning: weak, feeble, unconvincing, inadequate.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There aren’t many common idioms or phrasal verbs that use "lame," but you might hear informal phrases like "That's lame!" to express disapproval or disappointment.

Summary:

The word "lame" can describe a physical inability to walk properly, be used to criticize weak arguments or excuses, refer to a type of shiny fabric, or be used as a verb to describe causing someone to be unable to walk.

Academic

Adjective

1. disabled in the feet or legs
   • a crippled soldier
   • a game leg
2. pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
   • a feeble excuse
   • a lame argument

Noun

1. a fabric interwoven with threads of metal
   • she wore a gold lame dress
2. someone who doesn't understand what is going on

Verb

1. deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg
   • The accident has crippled her for life

Synonyms

• crippled
• halt
• halting
• gimpy
• game
• feeble
• square
• cripple