😒 Weak or unconvincing 🐎 Unable to walk 🦵 To injure a leg 🛡️ Metal plate ✨ Shiny fabric

lame

1 9.7

A thin flat piece of metal used as a plate on armor

noun
/leɪm/

Archaic

: lámina

The expensive suit was trimmed with strips of lame to add a decorative shine.

Examples

In medieval times, knights wore armor made of overlapping lame to protect themselves in battle.
I'm quite surprised the, the lames of the, of the articulation seem much thinner than I than I expect them to be.
The blacksmith shaped a flat piece of lame to reinforce the armor's shoulder plate.

Synonyms

steel plate

vslame

5 3.0

A flat piece of steel used to make or strengthen buildings and machines

is thinner and overlaps as protective strips rather than full construction sheets

armor plate

vslame

Specialized

1 4.9

A thick metal sheet used to protect tanks, ships, or buildings from bullets and explosions

is thinner overlapping protective strips used for body covering rather than hardened vehicle defenses

Idioms

so lame

Slang

28 9.5

Very unfunny and not impressive, so people feel disappointed

to help a lame dog over a stile

Informal

9.9

To do something kind for a person in trouble

Compounds

lame duck

Literature

30 7.4

An elected leader still in office who has lost real power

really lame

Informal

5 7.5

A reason or explanation that is very weak and not believable

lame dog

Offensive

8.3

A person who is weak or needs help

lame response

Informal

5.3

A weak answer that does not explain or convince

Surface Forms

lame singular

lames plural

Etymology

Lame for a thin metal plate comes from a French word for a 'thin plate' and the Latin lamina meaning 'thin plate', and in armor a 'lame' is one flat metal piece that joins with others to make a protective layer.