lam
1 of 3verb
ˈlam 
lammed; lamming
transitive verb
: to beat soundly : thrash
intransitive verb
1
: strike, thrash
2
: to flee hastily : scram
lam
2 of 3noun
: sudden or hurried flight especially from the law
on the lam
Lam
3 of 3abbreviation
Lamentations
Synonyms
Verb
- abscond
- break out (of)
- clear out
- escape
- flee
- fly
- get out
- run away
- run off
Noun
- break
- breakout
- bunk [British]
- escape
- flight
- getaway
- rout
- slip
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb let's lam out of this hellhole while there's still time Noun the prisoners were recaptured after only three days on the lam
Recent Examples on the Web
Tim Chan, Rolling Stone, 5 July 2022 Blake Morrison, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2022 After six years on the lam, he was captured by law enforcement in El Salvador on Tuesday. Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2022 And while McAfee was on the lam — as one of the most famous criminals in the world — multiple reporters started following him, chasing a strange story barreling toward a dark end. Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 After 16 years on the lam, is arrested in Santa Monica, California, along with his girlfriend Catherine Elizabeth Greig. CNN, 23 Aug. 2022 The alleged drug trafficker may have had to go on the lam. oregonlive, 8 Aug. 2022 Ko Jimmy, who had already been on the lam for a few weeks, told his wife the situation was only going to worsen. Aung Naing Soe, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 Authorities are searching for the driver of a silver SUV who is on the lam after hitting a pedestrian in an intersection in Boca Raton early Wednesday morning, according to police. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 On the federal level, she’s been charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution after spending 43 days on the lam while named in a murder warrant. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 6 July 2022 See More
Verb
Ryan Gosling stars as Court Gentry, a CIA agent forced to lam it after uncovering some secrets. Tim Chan, Rolling Stone, 5 July 2022 Noun
During Eric Rudolph's five years on the lam, despite a nationwide manhunt and a million-dollar bounty, a transient appears to have come closer to catching the serial bomber than did any federal agent. Blake Morrison, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2022 After six years on the lam, he was captured by law enforcement in El Salvador on Tuesday. Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2022 And while McAfee was on the lam — as one of the most famous criminals in the world — multiple reporters started following him, chasing a strange story barreling toward a dark end. Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 After 16 years on the lam, is arrested in Santa Monica, California, along with his girlfriend Catherine Elizabeth Greig. CNN, 23 Aug. 2022 The alleged drug trafficker may have had to go on the lam. oregonlive, 8 Aug. 2022 Ko Jimmy, who had already been on the lam for a few weeks, told his wife the situation was only going to worsen. Aung Naing Soe, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 Authorities are searching for the driver of a silver SUV who is on the lam after hitting a pedestrian in an intersection in Boca Raton early Wednesday morning, according to police. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 On the federal level, she’s been charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution after spending 43 days on the lam while named in a murder warrant. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 6 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse lemja to thrash; akin to Old English lama lame
First Known Use
Verb
1595, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Noun
circa 1897, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing lam
lamming
verb
as in escaping
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation let's lam out of this hellhole while there's still time Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- escaping
- fleeing
- flying
- breaking free
- running off
- running away
- clearing out
- getting out
- leaving
- breaking out (of)
- absconding
- pulling out
- moving
- avoiding
- walking out
- taking off
- losing
- exiting
- going
- evading
- shunning
- departing
- eluding
- shoving (off)
- bringing off
- sallying (forth)
- rescuing
- quitting
- eloping
- decamping
- loosening
- extricating
- liberating
- emancipating
- disentangling
- springing
- manumitting
- enfranchising
- loosing
- releasing
- freeing
- unbinding
- redeeming
- unfettering
- uncaging
- unchaining
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hanging around
- remaining
- lingering
- staying
- sticking around
- dwelling
- abiding
- returning
- tarrying
- coming back