lam

See also: Appendix:Variations of "lam"

Languages (25)

Translingual • English

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Afrikaans • Azerbaijani • Danish • Dutch • Hausa • Kokborok • Limilngan • Middle Dutch • Mizo • Mokilese • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Old High German • Polish • Romanian • Swedish • Tok Pisin • Turkish • Vietnamese • Volapük • Welsh • Yámana

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Lamba.

Symbol

lam

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Lamba.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Lamba terms

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /læm/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æm

Etymology 1

From Middle English lamen, lemen, from Old English lemian and Old Norse lemja; both from Proto-Germanic *lamjaną.

Alternative forms

• lamm

Verb

lam (third-person singular simple present lams, present participle lamming, simple past and past participle lammed)

1. (transitive, informal) To beat or thrash.
   • 1930, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, Mule Bone, Act II, Scene 2, in The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, Volume 5: The Plays to 1942: Mulatto to The Sun Do Move, edited by Leslie Catherine Sanders, Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2002, p. 102,

     An' fo' I knowed it, he done picked up that bone an' lammed me ovah de head wid it.

   • 1953, C. S. Lewis, The Silver Chair, Collins, published 1998, Chapter:

     They lammed each other on the head with great, clumsy stone hammers; but their skulls were so hard that the hammers bounced off again […]

2. (intransitive, dated, slang) To flee or run away.
   • 1947, Bill Finger, World's Finest Comics #30, "The Penny Plunderers!", p. 4:

     [Gangster running away:] Batman and Robin! Let's lam!

   • 1957, Jack Kerouac, chapter 1, in On the Road, Viking Press, →OCLC, part 1:

     […] and she was so mad and so down deep vindictive that she reported to the police some false trumped-up hysterical crazy charge, and Dean had to lam from Hoboken.

Translations

To beat or thrash

Bulgarian: бия (bg) (bija), пердаша (bg) (perdaša) Czech: mlátit (cs) impf, zmlátit pf, bít (cs) impf, zbít pf, třískat impf, ztřískat pf Spanish: paliza (es) f, golpiza (es) f

Noun

lam (plural lams)

1. (slang) A flight or escape.

   on the lam

Derived terms

• belam
• lambaste
• lam into
• lam off
• lam out
• lamster
• on the lam
• take it on the lam

Related terms

• lame

Translations

Translations

Czech: útěk (cs) m

Etymology 2

From Arabic لَام (lām), the name of the letter ل (l).

Noun

lam (plural lams)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Arabic alphabet, ل (l). It is preceded by ك (k) and followed by م (m).

Further reading

• Eric Partridge (2005), “lam”, in Tom Dalzell and Terry Victor, editors, The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, volume 2 (J–Z), London; New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 1180.

See also

• lam chau

Anagrams

• ALM, AML, M.L.A., MLA, Mal, Mal., alm, mal, mal-

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch lam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lam/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

lam (plural lammers)

1. lamb

Azerbaijani

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic لَام (lām).

Noun

lam (definite accusative lamı, plural lamlar)

1. the Arabic letter ل

Declension

Declension of lam

	singular	plural
nominative	lam	lamlar
definite accusative	lamı	lamları
dative	lama	lamlara
locative	lamda	lamlarda
ablative	lamdan	lamlardan
definite genitive	lamın	lamların

Possessive forms of lam

	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	lamım	lamlarım
sənin (“your”)	lamın	lamların
onun (“his/her/its”)	lamı	lamları
bizim (“our”)	lamımız	lamlarımız
sizin (“your”)	lamınız	lamlarınız
onların (“their”)	lamı or lamları	lamları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	lamımı	lamlarımı
sənin (“your”)	lamını	lamlarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	lamını	lamlarını
bizim (“our”)	lamımızı	lamlarımızı
sizin (“your”)	lamınızı	lamlarınızı
onların (“their”)	lamını or lamlarını	lamlarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	lamıma	lamlarıma
sənin (“your”)	lamına	lamlarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	lamına	lamlarına
bizim (“our”)	lamımıza	lamlarımıza
sizin (“your”)	lamınıza	lamlarınıza
onların (“their”)	lamına or lamlarına	lamlarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	lamımda	lamlarımda
sənin (“your”)	lamında	lamlarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	lamında	lamlarında
bizim (“our”)	lamımızda	lamlarımızda
sizin (“your”)	lamınızda	lamlarınızda
onların (“their”)	lamında or lamlarında	lamlarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	lamımdan	lamlarımdan
sənin (“your”)	lamından	lamlarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	lamından	lamlarından
bizim (“our”)	lamımızdan	lamlarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	lamınızdan	lamlarınızdan
onların (“their”)	lamından or lamlarından	lamlarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	lamımın	lamlarımın
sənin (“your”)	lamının	lamlarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	lamının	lamlarının
bizim (“our”)	lamımızın	lamlarımızın
sizin (“your”)	lamınızın	lamlarınızın
onların (“their”)	lamının or lamlarının	lamlarının

Further reading

• “lam” in Obastan.com.

Danish

Etymology 1

From Old Norse lami, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz. Cognate with Proto-Slavic *lomiti.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lam/, [lɑmˀ]

Adjective

lam (neuter lamt, plural and definite singular attributive lamme)

1. lame

Inflection

Inflection of lam

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	lam	—	—2
indefinite neuter singular	lamt	—	—2
plural	lamme	—	—2
definite attributive1	lamme	—	—

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Derived terms

• lam i roen

Etymology 2

From Old Danish lamb, from Old Norse lamb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lam/, [lɑmˀ]

Noun

lam n (singular definite lammet, plural indefinite lam)

1. lamb

Declension

Declension of lam

neuter gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	lam	lammet	lam	lammene
genitive	lams	lammets	lams	lammenes

Derived terms

• påskelam (“Passover lamb, Paschal Lamb”)

References

• “lam” in Den Danske Ordbog
• “lam” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɑm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: lam
• Rhymes: -ɑm

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch lam, from Old Dutch *lamb, from Proto-West Germanic *lamb.

Noun

lam n (plural lammeren, diminutive lammetje n)

1. lamb, the young of a sheep
2. (metonymic) the meat - or fleece/wool produce of a lamb; a dish prepared from lamb's meat
3. (figuratively) a gentle person, especially an innocent child

Derived terms

• Lam Gods
• lammeren
• lammergier
• lamsoor
• lamsvlees
• lamswol

Descendants

• Afrikaans: lam
• Negerhollands: lam, lamtje
• → Papiamentu: lamchi, lammetsje

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch lam, from Old Dutch *lam, from Proto-West Germanic *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz.

Adjective

lam (comparative lammer, superlative lamst)

1. lame, unable to move, paralyzed
2. (informal) very drunk

Declension

Declension of lam
uninflected	lam
inflected	lamme
comparative	lammer
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		lam	lammer	het lamst het lamste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	lamme	lammere	lamste
	n. sing.	lam	lammer	lamste
	plural	lamme	lammere	lamste
definite		lamme	lammere	lamste
partitive		lams	lammers	—

Derived terms

• kneiterlam
• lamheid
• lamleggen
• lamlendig
• lamlul
• lamme
• lammeling
• lamstraal
• lamzak
• leemte
• verlammen
• vleugellam

Descendants

• Negerhollands: lam
• → Caribbean Javanese: lam
• → Papiamentu: lam

Anagrams

• mal

Hausa

Etymology

From Arabic لَام (lām).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lám/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [láŋ]

Noun

lam f

1. lam (letter of the Arabic alphabet)

Kokborok

Noun

lam

1. way

References

• Binoy Debbarma, Concise Kokborok-English-Bengali Dictionary (2001)

Limilngan

Noun

lam

1. frilled-neck lizard

References

• Mark Harvey, A Grammar of Limilngan: A Language of the Mary River Region, Northern Territory, Australia (2001)

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *lamb, from Proto-Germanic *lambaz.

Noun

lam n

1. lamb

Inflection

Strong neuter noun

	singular	plural
nominative	lam	lammer, lammere
accusative	lam	lammer, lammere
genitive	lams	lammer, lammere
dative	lamme	lammeren

Alternative forms

• lamp

Descendants

• Dutch: lam
• Limburgish: lamb

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz.

Adjective

lam

1. lame
2. weak, strengthless

Inflection

Adjective

		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	indefinite	lam	lamme	lam	lamme
	definite	lamme	lamme
accusative	indefinite	lammen	lamme	lam	lamme
	definite	lamme
genitive	indefinite	lams	lammer	lams	lammer
	definite	lams, lammen	lams, lammen
dative		lammen	lammer	lammen	lammen

Alternative forms

• lāem

Descendants

• Dutch: lam
• Limburgish: laam

Further reading

• “lam”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• “lamb”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “lam (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “lam (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II

Mizo

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *lam, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lam (“road, way”).

Noun

lam

1. way, path, direction

Further reading

• Lorrain, J. Herbert (1940), “lam”, in Dictionary of the Lushai language, Calcutta: Asiatic Society

Mokilese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlam/

Noun

lam

1. lagoon

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse lami.

Adjective

lam (neuter singular lamt, definite singular and plural lamme)

1. paralysed / paralyzed, crippled

Related terms

• lamme (verb)

Etymology 2

From Old Norse lamb.

Noun

lam n (definite singular lammet, indefinite plural lam, definite plural lamma or lammene)

1. a lamb (young sheep)

Derived terms

• lammekjøtt
• påskelam (“Passover lamb, Paschal Lamb”)

Etymology 3

Verb

lam

1. imperative of lamme

References

• “lam” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From Old Norse lami.

Adjective

lam (neuter singular lamt, definite singular and plural lamme)

1. paralysed; crippled

Etymology 2

From Old Norse lamb.

Noun

lam n (definite singular lammet, indefinite plural lam, definite plural lamma)

1. a lamb (young sheep)
2. (by extension, Christianity, figurative) Christ as sacrificial lamb

Derived terms

• lammekjøt, lammekjøtt
• påskelam (“Passover lamb, Paschal Lamb”)

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

lam

1. imperative of lamma (to lamb)
2. imperative of lamma (to paralyze)

References

• “lam” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *laimą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɑːm/

Noun

lām n

1. clay, loam

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	lām	lām
accusative	lām	lām
genitive	lāmes	lāma
dative	lāme	lāmum

Descendants

• English: loam

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz, whence also Old English lama, Old Norse lami.

Adjective

lam

1. lame

Descendants

• Middle High German: lam
  • Alemannic German: lamm
  • German: lahm
  • Hunsrik: laam

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlam/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -am
• Syllabification: lam

Noun

lam f

1. genitive plural of lama

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lam]

Verb

lam

1. first-person singular/plural imperfect indicative of la

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish lamber, from Old Norse lami, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz.

Adjective

lam (comparative lamare, superlative lamast)

1. lame, unable to move any limbs
2. (slang) lame, inefficient, imperfect, almost ridiculously so

   Det var ett lamt försök. Gör ditt bästa istället!

   That was a lame attempt. Do your best instead!

Declension

Inflection of lam

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	lam	lamare	lamast
neuter singular	lamt	lamare	lamast
plural	lama	lamare	lamast
masculine plural2	lame	lamare	lamast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	lame	lamare	lamaste
all	lama	lamare	lamaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

See also

• förlamad
• lamslagen

Anagrams

• LMA, alm, mal

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English lamp.

Noun

lam

1. lamp

Turkish

Etymology

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish لام (lâm), from Arabic لَام (lām).

Noun

lam

1. Letter of the Arabic alphabet: ل

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [laːm˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [laːm˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [laːm˧˧]

Etymology 1

Sino-Vietnamese word from 藍, from Literary Chinese 藍 (lán), using the same disambiguation of 青 (“grue”) with 藍 / 蓝 (lán, “blue”) and 綠 / 绿 (lục, “green”). See also xanh (“grue”).

Adjective

lam

1. (uncommon) blue

   Synonym: xanh dương

Usage notes

• The word is not used very often. The most common use of it is to refer to one of the seven colors of a rainbow, as in the listing "đỏ, cam, vàng, lục, lam, chàm, tím".

Derived terms

• áo lam
• xanh lam
• xe lam

See also

Colors in Vietnamese · màu sắc (layout · text)

trắng	xám	đen
đỏ; thắm, thẫm	cam; nâu	vàng; kem
vàng chanh	xanh, xanh lá cây, xanh lục, lục	xanh bạc hà; xanh lục đậm
xanh lơ, hồ thuỷ; xanh mòng két	xanh, xanh da trời, thiên thanh	xanh, xanh dương, xanh nước biển, xanh lam, lam
tím; chàm	tía	hồng

Etymology 2

Noun

lam • (𥜓)

1. (architecture) louvers, blinds, shutters

   Synonym: cửa chớp

Volapük

Etymology

Borrowed from German Arm and English arm.

Noun

lam (nominative plural lams)

1. arm
2. blade
3. sharp blade

Declension

Declension of lam

	singular	plural
nominative	lam	lams
genitive	lama	lamas
dative	lame	lames
accusative	lami	lamis
vocative 1	o lam!	o lams!
predicative 2	lamu	lamus

¹ status as a case is disputed
² in later, non-classical Volapük only

Welsh

Noun

lam

1. soft mutation of llam

Mutation

Mutated forms of llam

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
llam	lam	unchanged	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Yámana

Noun

lam

1. sun