1. Moving with
pain or
difficulty on account of injury, defect, or
temporary obstruction of a function; as, a
lame leg, hand, or muscle. To some
degree disabled by
cause of the imperfect
action of a limb; crippled; as, a
lame man. "Lame of one leg." . "Lame in both
his feet." . "He fell, and became lame." .
2. Hence, hobbling; limping; inefficient; imperfect. "A
lame endeavor." "O, most
lame and
impotent conclusion!" (Shak) Lame duck, a
face who can not fulfill
his contracts.
Origin: OE. Lame, AS. Lama;
akin to D. Lam, G. Lahm,OHG, Dan, & Sw. Lam, Icel. Lami, Russ. Lomate to interrupt, lomota rheumatism.
Source: Websters Vocabulary