Meanings
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1
noun
any of the muscles and tendons at the back of the thigh that bend the knee
The runner stopped suddenly after straining a hamstring near the finish line.
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2
verb
to make a person, organization, or plan ineffective by severely restricting its ability to act
A lack of spare parts hamstrung the rescue effort for several days.
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3
verb
historical: to cripple a person or animal by cutting the tendons behind the knee
The retreating force hamstrung its remaining horses so they could not be captured and ridden.
Thesaurus
Etymology
A compound of ham, the back of the knee or thigh, + string, referring to the cordlike tendons there. The verb first meant cutting those tendons to cripple; its now-common figurative sense is to deprive someone or something of effective power.