What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Lame vs Ineffectual - What's the difference?

lame | ineffectual | Synonyms |

Lame is a synonym of ineffectual.


As a noun lame

is sea.

As an adjective ineffectual is

unable or insufficient to produce effect; futile.

lame

English

(wikipedia lame)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

Adjective

(er)
  • Unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs.
  • Moving with pain or difficulty on account of injury, defect or temporary obstruction of a function.
    • a lame leg, arm or muscle
  • (by extension) Hobbling; limping; inefficient; imperfect.
  • * Barrow
    • a lame endeavour
  • * Shakespeare
    • O, most lame and impotent conclusion!
  • (slang) Unconvincing or unbelievable.
    • He had a really lame excuse for missing the birthday party.
  • (slang) Failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant.
    • He kept telling these extremely lame jokes all night.
  • (slang) Strangely corny or sweet to an extent.
    • I told him not to bring me flowers, so he brought a bunch of carrots instead. It was lame but it made me smile.
    Usage notes
    Referring to a person without a disability as “lame” is offensive to many as it suggests a derogatory characterization of the physical condition from which the term was derived.
    Synonyms
    * (sense, unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) crippled * (moving with difficulty) * (sense) hobbling, limping, inefficient, imperfect * (sense) unconvincing, unbelievable * uncool, unfunny, uninteresting, irrelevant
    Antonyms
    * (sense, unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs) * (moving with difficulty) * (sense) efficient, perfect * (sense) convincing, believable * cool, funny, interesting, relevant
    Derived terms
    * lame duck * lamage * lamebrain * lamely * lameness * lamestream * lame-o

    Verb

    (lam)
  • to cause a person or animal to become lame
  • * 1877', Anna Sewell, ''Black Beauty'': And if you don't want to ' lame your horse you must look sharp and get them [stones stuck in hooves] out quickly.
  • * 1913 ,
    • Now her soul felt lamed in itself. It was her hope that was struck.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) lame, from (etyl) lamina.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lamina.
  • (in the plural) A set of joined, overlapping metal plates.
    • Related terms
    *

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    (lam)
  • (obsolete) To shine.
    • (Piers Plowman)
    (Webster 1913)

    References

    Anagrams

    * ----

    ineffectual

    English

    Alternative forms

    * ineffectuall (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • unable or insufficient to produce effect; futile
    • After several ineffectual and abortive leaps, we were forced to lift him over the obstacle.
  • worthless
  • weak; lacking forcefulness
    • Our group leader proved highly ineffectual , caving to every whim put forth by the other members.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * effectual

    Related terms

    * ineffectualness * ineffectuality * ineffectually