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Bam vs Lam - What's the difference?

bam | lam |

As nouns the difference between bam and lam

is that bam is ned, bampot while lam is used in the expression on the lam to mean that a person is fleeing law enforcement, possibly in hiding.

As verbs the difference between bam and lam

is that bam is to impose on (someone) by a falsehood; to cheat while lam is to beat or thrash.

As an interjection bam

is representing a loud noise or heavy impact.

bam

English

Interjection

(en interjection)
  • Representing a loud noise or heavy impact.
    • The wind knocked the tree over last night. Bam ! It nearly scared me to death.
  • Representing a sudden or abrupt occurrence.
    • She said she dumped him. Now — bam ! — they're back together.

    Synonyms

    * bang * blam * pow * wham

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Scotland, slang) ned, bampot.
  • (dated) An imposition; a cheat; a hoax.
    • (Garrick)I’ll break a lamp, bully a con stable, bam a justice, or bilk a boxkeeper with any man in the liberties of Westminster.
    David Garrick, The Plays of David Garrick: A Complete Collection of the Social Satires, French Adaptations, Pantomimes, Christmas and Musical Plays, Preludes, Interludes, and Burlesques, ed. Harry William Pedicord and Fredrick Louis Bergmann, vol. 1 (Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1980), 93, http://www.questia.com/read/59320440.
  • * Prof. Wilson
    • To relieve the tedium he kept plying them with all manner of bams .

    Verb

  • To impose on (someone) by a falsehood; to cheat.
    • (Foote)
  • (slang, archaic) To jeer or make fun of.

    • Noun

    (en noun)

    • Anagrams

    * English onomatopoeias ----

    lam

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) lemja.

    Noun

    (-)
  • Used in the expression on the lam to mean that a person is fleeing law enforcement, possibly in hiding.

    • Verb

  • To beat or thrash

    • Derived terms

    * lambaste

    Etymology 2

    (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The twenty-third letter of the Arabic alphabet, .

    • Anagrams

    * * ----