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Main definitions of lam in English

: lam1lam2

lam1

See synonyms for lam

Translate lam into Spanish

transitive verbtransitive verb lams, transitive verb lamming, transitive verb lammed

[with object]

  • 1 informal Hit (someone) hard.

    • ‘I'll come over and lam you in the mouth in a minute’
    • ‘Will Afghanistan - or what remains of it after decades of mayhem, following the Soviet attack that lammed into that country from 1979-have been pounded?’
    • ‘A Thompson lubed wad is seated over the powder, and then a Speer.457’ round ball is lammed home.’
    hit, strike, slap, smack, cuff, punch, beat, thrash, thump, batter, belabour, drub, hook, pound, smash, slam, welt, pummel, hammer, bang, knock, swat, whip, flog, cane, sucker-punch, rain blows on, give someone a beating, give someone a drubbing, give someone a good beating, give someone a good drubbing, box someone's ears
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1lam intono object Attack.
      • ‘they surged up and down in their riot gear, lamming into anyone in their path’

Pronunciation

lam

/lam/ /læm/

Origin

Late 16th century perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian and Danish lamme ‘paralyze’.

Main definitions of lam in English

: lam1lam2

lam2

See synonyms for lam

Translate lam into Spanish

intransitive verbintransitive verb lams, intransitive verb lamming, intransitive verb lammed

[no object] informal North American

  • Escape; flee.

    • ‘we'd better lam before the cops show up!’
    • ‘Jet Li plays the part of Han Sing, doing durance vile in the Hong Kong lockup, taking the fall for his dad, Ch'u Sing (Henry O) who lammed out of Honkers for San Francisco, the Chinese fuzz hot on his larcenous heels.’
    • ‘I lammed, ran faster than I'd run since being made cabin boy for Kapitan Sergei, with the store owner close behind.’
    • ‘To avoid being killed by Archie's men, they lam it with Shorty who takes them to where he's been living in Boston.’

Pronunciation

lam

/lam/ /læm/

Phrases

    on the lam
    North American informal

    • In flight, especially from the police.

      • ‘the boys were on the lam for four days before they were caught’

Origin

Late 19th century from lam.