lame
gb/lˈeɪm/ us/lˈeɪm/
B1
English
~ 6700
béna, gyenge, sánta, lesántít, sántává tesz, a sánták, lamé
B1
INFORMAL
1
béna
B1
Usage pattern:
[something]/[someone] is lame
That party was so lame we left after half an hour.
Annyira béna volt az a buli, hogy fél óra után elmentünk.
The ending of the movie was really lame and predictable.
A film vége nagyon béna és kiszámítható volt.
Everyone thinks his jokes are lame, but he keeps telling them.
I know it sounds lame, but I’d rather stay home and read.
Her excuse for being late was pretty lame, and nobody believed her.
Learner examples
The concert was lame, so we went home early.
A koncert béna volt, ezért korán hazamentünk.
I think this TV show is lame and not funny.
Szerintem ez a tévéműsor béna és nem vicces.
His story was lame, and my friends did not believe him.
The game looked cool, but it was actually lame.
She felt lame because she did not know what to say.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "lame" in formal writing (essays, emails to teachers or bosses). In those cases, it is better to use "boring", "unimpressive", or "poor". Also, avoid using "lame" about people with disabilities, as this can sound rude or offensive.
Meaning
boring, uncool, or unimpressive
Collocations
lame party
|lame movie
|lame ending
|sound lame
|pretty lame
|kind of lame
Synonyms
uncool (Very close in meaning, but focuses more on social status and fashion, especially among younger speakers.)
|
boring (Focuses on lack of interest or excitement, without the strong negative or judging tone that "lame" can have.)
|
pathetic (Stronger and harsher than "lame", suggesting contempt or pity as well as lack of quality.)
Antonyms
cool (Describes something or someone as fashionable, impressive, or socially admired, the opposite of being "lame" in this sense.)
|
awesome (Describes something as very impressive or enjoyable, opposite of something disappointing and lame.)
Themes
daily life
|social
|opinions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describes something or someone that is boring, not cool, or not impressive.
Used to describe something or someone as boring, uncool, unimpressive, or socially awkward.
B2
INFORMAL
2
gyenge
A2
Usage pattern:
a lame [excuse/argument/attempt/joke]
That’s a pretty lame excuse for not doing your homework.
Ez elég gyenge kifogás arra, hogy miért nem írtad meg a házi feladatodat.
The company’s lame attempt at an apology only made people angrier.
A cég gyenge bocsánatkérési próbálkozása csak még jobban feldühítette az embereket.
He offered a lame explanation that didn’t answer the main question.
They made a lame effort to fix the problem before the deadline.
Everyone groaned at his lame joke.
Learner examples
She gave a lame excuse for coming late to work.
Gyenge kifogást hozott fel arra, hogy miért késett el a munkából.
His answer was lame and did not help us.
A válasza gyenge volt, és nem segített rajtunk.
The team made a lame attempt to win the game.
I don’t believe that story; it’s lame.
He told a lame joke and nobody laughed.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the general "boring/uncool" meaning. Here, "lame" is usually used before a noun like "excuse", "attempt", or "argument" to say it is weak or not believable. In formal writing, prefer words like "weak", "poor", or "unconvincing" instead of "lame".
Meaning
weak or unconvincing (excuse, effort)
Collocations
lame excuse
|lame attempt
|lame argument
|lame explanation
|lame joke
|lame response
Synonyms
weak (Very close in meaning but more neutral and common in formal writing; lacks the slangy, judging tone of "lame".)
|
unconvincing (Focuses on not making people believe something; more formal and precise than "lame".)
|
feeble (Similar idea of lacking strength, slightly more formal and can sound literary.)
Antonyms
strong (Describes an argument or excuse that is solid and persuasive, opposite of a lame one.)
|
convincing (Means that an excuse or argument makes people believe it, opposite of "lame" in this sense.)
Themes
communication
|daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describes an excuse, effort, or argument that is not strong and does not make people believe or respect it.
Describing an excuse, effort, argument, or similar thing as weak, unconvincing, or clearly not good enough.
B2
3
sánta
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[an animal] is lame
The accident left him lame in his right leg.
A baleset következtében a jobb lábára sánta maradt.
They decided not to race the horse because it was lame.
Úgy döntöttek, nem indítják a lovat a versenyen, mert sánta volt.
She walked with a stick after becoming lame as a child.
A lame dog followed us slowly down the road.
The vet examined the cow and found that it was slightly lame.
Learner examples
The horse is lame and cannot run fast.
A ló sánta, és nem tud gyorsan futni.
He became lame after the car accident.
Az autóbaleset után sánta lett.
The dog is lame in one leg.
She walks with a cane because she is lame.
The vet said the animal was lame but would get better.
Common mistake:
In modern English, using "lame" to describe a person with a disability can sound old-fashioned or rude. Many speakers now prefer phrases like "a person with a disability" or "a person who has trouble walking". The word is still common for animals, especially horses.
Meaning
unable to walk properly
Collocations
born lame
|go lame
|lame in one leg
|lame horse
|walks lame
Synonyms
disabled (A general and more polite word for someone with a physical disability; not limited to walking problems.)
|
crippled (An older word that can sound offensive about people today; sometimes still used about animals or in historical writing.)
Antonyms
able-bodied (Describes a person without physical disabilities, opposite of being lame in this physical sense.)
|
sound (In contexts about animals or legs, "sound" means healthy and without injury, the opposite of "lame".)
Themes
health
|animals
|daily life
|body
Definition
Not able to walk in a normal way because of a problem with the leg or foot.
Unable to walk normally because of an injury, illness, or defect in the leg or foot, especially of a person or animal.
VERB
C1
4
lesántít
C1
sántává tesz
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] lames [someone/something]
The explosion lamed several soldiers in his unit.
A robbanás az alakulatában több katonát is lesántított.
A hunting accident lamed him for the rest of his life.
Egy vadászbaleset élete végéig sántává tette.
The horse was lamed by a fall on the rocky path.
A badly placed trap can lame an animal even if it doesn’t kill it.
Learner examples
The war accident lamed him when he was young.
A háborús baleset fiatal korában lesántította.
The fall lamed the horse, so it could not work.
Az esés lesántította a lovat, ezért nem tudott dolgozni.
A heavy stone fell on his leg and lamed him.
The trap lamed the animal and it could not run away.
Common mistake:
This verb is rare in modern speech. Learners may overuse it instead of more common verbs like "injure", "hurt", or "disable". It is mostly seen in written or historical contexts.
Meaning
to make unable to walk properly
Collocations
lame someone for life
|lame a horse
|badly lamed
Synonyms
cripple (Very close in meaning but often considered offensive when used about people; more common in older or literary texts.)
|
maim (Means to injure seriously and permanently, not only legs; more formal and strong than "lame".)
Antonyms
heal (Means to make healthy again; opposite of injuring so that someone is lame.)
|
restore (To bring back to full health or ability, opposite of causing lasting damage.)
Themes
health
|violence
|animals
|body
Definition
To hurt someone or an animal so badly in the leg or foot that they cannot walk in a normal way.
To cause someone or an animal to become unable to walk normally because of injury or damage to the leg or foot.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
5
a sánták
B1
Usage pattern:
the lame
The charity was founded to help the poor, the sick, and the lame.
A jótékonysági szervezetet azért alapították, hogy segítse a szegényeket, a betegeket és a sántákat.
In the old text, it says that he healed the lame and the blind.
A régi szövegben az áll, hogy meggyógyította a sántákat és a vakokat.
The poet wrote of caring for the lame and the outcast.
Learner examples
The old book talks about helping the lame and the blind.
A régi könyv arról beszél, hogy segíteni kell a sántákon és a vakokon.
In some religious stories, a hero heals the lame.
Egyes vallási történetekben egy hős meggyógyítja a sántákat.
The phrase "the lame" is not common in modern speech.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this is normal modern usage; however, using "the lame" about people today usually sounds old-fashioned or insensitive. Use phrases like "people who cannot walk" or "people with disabilities" in modern contexts.
Meaning
people who cannot walk properly
Collocations
the lame and the blind
|heal the lame
|help the lame
Synonyms
the disabled (A broader and more modern term, including people with many kinds of disabilities, not only walking problems.)
Antonyms
the able-bodied (Refers to people without physical disabilities, opposite group to "the lame" in this older usage.)
Themes
religion
|literature
|health
|body
Definition
People who cannot walk in a normal way because of a problem with their legs or feet; used with "the" and mostly in old or formal religious texts.
People who are unable to walk normally because of a disability or injury, usually used with "the" and mainly in older or religious-style language.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
6
lamé
C2
Usage pattern:
[color] lame; a lame dress
She wore a gold lamé dress to the party.
Aranyszínű laméruhát viselt a partin.
The designer used silver lamé for the stage costumes.
A tervező ezüstlamét használt a színpadi jelmezekhez.
This lamé fabric is perfect for evening gowns and dance outfits.
Learner examples
The singer wore a silver lamé jacket on stage.
Az énekes ezüstlamé dzsekit viselt a színpadon.
I bought a gold lamé dress for the show.
Vettem egy aranyszínű laméruhát az előadásra.
Lamé is a shiny fabric with metal threads in it.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that this fashion term is often written with an accent as "lamé" and pronounced /læˈmeɪ/, different from the common adjective "lame" /leɪm/.
Meaning
fabric with metallic threads
Collocations
gold lamé
|silver lamé
|lamé dress
|lamé fabric
|shimmering lamé
Synonyms
metallic fabric (A descriptive phrase that explains the idea but is more general and less tied to fashion terminology.)
Antonyms
matte fabric (Fabric without shine or gloss, opposite in visual effect to shiny lamé.)
Themes
fashion
|materials
|clothing
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A kind of cloth with very thin metal threads in it, so it looks shiny and like metal; often written as "lamé".
A fabric, often used in clothing or costumes, woven with very thin metal threads to create a shiny, metallic appearance; often spelled "lamé".
Grammar
Dictionary form
lame
IPA
GB/lˈeɪm/
US/lˈeɪm/
Syllables & stress
lame (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lame)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lame
- Comparative: lamer
- Superlative: lamest
Verb
- Base: lame
- 3rd Person Singular: lames
- Present Participle: laming
- Past: lamed
Word family
Forms
lames
verb
laming
verb
lamed
verb
lamer
adjective
lamest
adjective
Core family
lamely
adverb
lameness
noun
Expressions
lame attempt
1/lˈeɪm ətˈɛmpt/
fixed phrase
informal
weak or half-hearted effort
An effort to do something that is clearly not strong, serious, or good enough to succeed.
Examples
- They made a lame attempt to fix the problem before the deadline.
- His lame attempt at an apology only made her angrier.
lame excuse
1/lˈeɪm ɪkskjˈus/
fixed phrase
informal
weak, unconvincing excuse
An excuse that is clearly not good and does not make people believe you.
Examples
- That’s a really lame excuse for missing the meeting.
- He blamed the traffic, but everyone knew it was just a lame excuse.
lame joke
1/lˈeɪm d͡ʒˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
informal
unfunny or weak joke
A joke that is not funny or clever and usually makes people groan instead of laugh.
Examples
- He started the meeting with a lame joke that nobody laughed at.
- Please don’t tell that lame joke again; we’ve all heard it.
lame duck
1/lˈeɪm dˈʌk/
idiom
official with little real power
An elected leader or group that is still in office but has lost real power, usually because their time in office will end soon or they have already been replaced.
Examples
- After the election, the prime minister was a lame duck until the new government took over.
- He became a lame duck president after losing the election.
- Many say a lame duck president finds it hard to start new big projects.
- The company is now a lame duck waiting to be bought.
- Critics say the policy is a lame duck that will never be used.