lam

1
[ lam ]
See synonyms for lam on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),lammed, lam·ming.
  1. to beat; thrash.

verb (used without object),lammed, lam·ming.
  1. to beat; strike; thrash (usually followed by out or into).

Origin of lam

1
1590–1600; <Old Norse lamdi, past tense of lemja to beat; akin to lame1

Other definitions for lam (2 of 6)

lam2
[ lam ]

noun
  1. a hasty escape; flight.

verb (used without object),lammed, lam·ming.
  1. to run away quickly; escape; flee: I'm going to lam out of here as soon as I've finished.

Origin of lam

2
1885–90; special use of lam1. Compare beat it! be off!

Other definitions for Lam (3 of 6)

Lam
[ lahm, lam ]

noun
  1. Wi·fre·do [wi-frey-doh] /wɪˈfreɪ doʊ/ or Wil·fre·do [wil-frey-doh], /wɪlˈfreɪ doʊ/, 1902–82, Cuban painter in Europe.

Other definitions for lām (4 of 6)

lām
[ lahm ]

noun
  1. the 23rd letter of the Arabic alphabet.

Origin of lām

4
From Arabic; see origin at lambda

Other definitions for lam. (5 of 6)

lam.

abbreviation
  1. laminated.

Other definitions for Lam. (6 of 6)

Lam.

abbreviationBible.
  1. Lamentations.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lam in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lam (1 of 3)

lam1

/ (læm) /


verblams, lamming or lammed slang
  1. (tr) to thrash or beat

  2. (intr; usually foll by into or out) to make a sweeping stroke or blow

Origin of lam

1
C16: from Scandinavian; related to Old Norse lemja

British Dictionary definitions for lam (2 of 3)

lam2

/ (læm) US and Canadian slang /


noun
  1. a sudden flight or escape, esp to avoid arrest

  2. on the lam

    • making an escape

    • in hiding

verblams, lamming or lammed
  1. (intr) to escape or flee

Origin of lam

2
C19: perhaps from lam 1 (hence, to be off)

British Dictionary definitions for Lam. (3 of 3)

Lam.

/ Bible /


abbreviation for
  1. Lamentations

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with lam

lam

see on the lam.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.