Meanings
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1
verb
to escape or flee, especially from the law or a dangerous situation
He went on the lam after the robbery.
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2
verb
to beat or thrash soundly
They threatened to lam him if he didn't pay up.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Origin uncertain; the verb appears in English slang meaning "to flee" (chiefly in the phrase "on the lam") and, separately, "to beat soundly," possibly from a Scandinavian source meaning to strike.