lame
lame — adjective
1. Having an injured or weak leg or foot that makes walking difficult or impossible
Having an injured or weak leg or foot that makes walking difficult or impossible. Used especially for animals; applying this word to a person can sound very old-fashioned or insulting.
The old horse had gone lame after the long journey through the mountains.
go lame — common verb collocation
We called the vet when our dog suddenly became lame in one leg.
lame in [body part]
The shepherd noticed the lamb was lame and carried it back to the barn.
During the race, one of the runners went lame and had to stop.
- sound
of an animal: in good physical condition, able to walk normally
文法句型
be/go/become lame
lame in [body part]
用法筆記
⚠ This sense is now widely considered offensive when used for humans. For people with mobility difficulties, use terms like 'has a limp,' 'walks with difficulty,' or 'has a leg injury.' For animals, 'lame' remains the standard veterinary term.
常見錯誤
2. So weak, unconvincing, or poorly put together that it fails to do what it is mea
So weak, unconvincing, or poorly put together that it fails to do what it is meant to do — for example, an excuse that does not persuade anyone, or a joke that does not make anyone laugh.
The manager refused to accept Tuan's lame excuse for missing the deadline.
lame excuse — most common noun collocation
Critics said the film's plot was lame and full of obvious holes.
Eleni's argument for leaving the meeting early was so lame that nobody took it seriously.
Diya gave a lame reason for avoiding the homework, and the teacher noticed.
- weak
broader term; 'weak' can apply to arguments, coffee, or physical strength, while 'lame' is specific to unconvincing explanations
- feeble
suggests even greater pitifulness; a feeble excuse is one that seems desperate
- unconvincing
more formal; focuses on the failure to persuade rather than the quality of the attempt itself
- convincing
an excuse or argument that successfully persuades
- strong
a well-supported argument that is hard to refute
文法句型
lame + excuse / argument / reason / joke / attempt
常見錯誤
3. Describing something as dull, silly, or behind the times — the sort of thing peo
Describing something as dull, silly, or behind the times — the sort of thing people find uninteresting or no fun at all. Used in informal conversation, especially by younger speakers, to express disapproval of an activity, idea, or thing.
Kwame said the party was lame because nobody had brought any music.
informal: lame = uncool, not fun
My younger brother thinks board games are lame, but he still plays with us.
Cyrus told his friends that the movie was so lame he walked out early.
The dance they taught us was really lame — everyone in class started laughing.
文法句型
be lame
so lame
really lame
用法筆記
This is the most common meaning in everyday spoken English among teenagers and young adults. It is too casual for business writing or academic essays. Avoid using this sense in formal contexts.
常見錯誤
lame — noun
1. A type of shiny fabric that has thin threads of gold, silver, or another metal w
A type of shiny fabric that has thin threads of gold, silver, or another metal woven into it, used especially for evening wear and stage costumes.
The queen's dress was sewn with gold lame that shimmered under the lights.
gold lame / silver lame — standard colour modifiers
Yumi found a vintage jacket made of silver lame at the second-hand shop.
The costume designer chose bronze lame for the dancer's stage outfit.
Noa wore a stunning red dress made of lame to the awards ceremony.
- brocade
similar heavy decorative fabric, but patterns are raised/woven rather than metallic-threaded
- metallic fabric
descriptive term rather than a specific fabric name; broader category
文法句型
gold / silver / bronze lame
用法筆記
Pronounced /lɑːˈmeɪ/ (lah-MAY) in English, as the word was borrowed from French. Often used attributively: 'a lame dress,' 'lame fabric.'
常見錯誤
2. A person who is dull, unfashionable, or out of touch — someone who does not fit
A person who is dull, unfashionable, or out of touch — someone who does not fit in with what others consider cool or fun.
Don't invite Felix to the party — he's such a lame who never wants to dance.
such a lame — noun pattern with intensifier
The school kids called him a lame because he wore last year's clothes.
Brandon felt like a lame when he wore a suit while everyone else wore jeans.
Renata refused to see the group after they called her a lame for reading.
- cool kid
informal; a person who is fashionable and socially successful
文法句型
be a lame
such a lame
用法筆記
This noun use is very informal and usually playful rather than seriously insulting, but it can still sound dismissive. It is most common in the speech of younger people and in pop culture references.
常見錯誤
lame — verb
1. To damage a leg or foot badly enough that the injured creature can no longer wal
To damage a leg or foot badly enough that the injured creature can no longer walk without difficulty.
The car accident lamed him permanently in his left leg.
The horse was lamed by a sharp rock hidden on the forest trail.
passive: be lamed by [cause]
A bad fall from the ladder lamed the worker for several months.
The soldier was lamed by shrapnel during the battle and never ran again.
- heal
to restore to health; the opposite of permanently injuring
文法句型
lame [someone/something]
be lamed by [cause]
用法筆記
This verb is uncommon in modern everyday English. It appears most often in formal or literary writing, or when describing historical or veterinary events. The passive form ('was lamed') is far more common than the active ('lamed him').