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Lame vs Paralysis - What's the difference?

lame | paralysis |

As nouns the difference between lame and paralysis

is that lame is a lamina while paralysis is the complete loss of voluntary control of part of person's body, such as one or more limbs.

As an adjective lame

is unable to walk properly because of a problem with one's feet or legs.

As a verb lame

is to cause a person or animal to become lame.

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.
  • Etymology 3

    Verb

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

    References

    Anagrams

    * ----

    paralysis

    Noun

    (paralyses)
  • (pathology) The complete loss of voluntary control of part of person's body, such as one or more limbs.
  • Derived terms

    * paralyse/paralyze * paralytic

    See also

    * paraplegia * quadriplegia