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Glite Dictionary
🚨 A quick escape 🏃 To run away 👊 To hit hard
to lam

to lam

9.9
To hit someone or something very hard, often many times
  • verb
  • /læm/
  • Informal
translation icon : golpear
  • She saw her brother lamming the punching bag in the gym.

Examples

  • The coach lammed his fist on the table.

  • The bully threatened to lam anyone who got in his way.

  • If you don't pay what you owe, he'll lam you good.

  • He lammed the door shut.

  • The angry parent threatened to lam the boy for breaking the window.

  • The coach would often lam the ground to show how serious the team should be about practice.

  • As the storm raged, he lammed the hammer against the roof to fix the leak.

Synonyms

to pummel
vsto lam
46 6.7

Hit something many times, usually with your fists

covers repeated hitting in general, not only with fists
to clobber
vsto lam
  • NSFW
19 7.7

To hit someone or something very hard many times

is similar but does not stress the extreme force or intent to destroy
to thrash
vsto lam
  • NSFW
7 6.5

Hit someone hard, often as punishment or in a fight

is the general act of striking hard repeatedly not limited to punishment
to flail
vsto lam
  • NSFW
6 7.6

To hit someone or something many times violently

is equally about heavy hitting but less about wild, uncontrolled motion
to lambast
vsto lam
  • NSFW
8.8

To hit someone many times with a stick

is broader and not tied to a specific implement or setting
to thresh
vsto lam
  • NSFW
8.8

Hit someone hard as a punishment

is broader, applying to hard striking in many situations beyond punishment
to slog
vsto lam
7.0

To hit someone or something very hard, for example with a fist

focuses on repeated beating rather than occasional single heavy blows
to lam into
vsto lam
  • Informal
9.9

To hit someone or something violently, often by running into them

emphasizes repeated hard beating rather than a single violent attack

Antonyms

pat
∞ 1.0

A quick gentle touch with the hand to show comfort or approval

caress
14 3.8

A gentle touch that shows affection

Idioms

on the lam
  • Slang
20 9.9

Hiding from the police or other officials

Phrasal Verbs

to lam into
  • Informal
9.9

To hit someone or something violently, often by running into them

How Hard

to pummel
46 6.7
to lam
  • Informal
9.9
to beat
  • NSFW
∞ 1.2
to hit
∞ 1.0
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

lam infinitive
lammed past
lammed past participle
lamming present participle
lams third person singular

Etymology

Lam meaning 'to strike or beat' is old slang for hitting someone hard and is like the word lambaste, which also means 'to beat' or 'criticize strongly'. That's why to lam someone is to hit or thrash them.