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Untenable vs Lame - What's the difference?

untenable | lame |

As an adjective untenable

is not able to be held, as of an opinion or position; unholdable, indefensible.

As a noun lame is

sea.

untenable

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Not able to be held, as of an opinion or position; unholdable, indefensible.
    • The theory of cold fusion was untenable .

    Usage notes

    * Nouns often used with "controversial": argument, doctrine, theory, hypothesis, view, position, notion, etc..

    Antonyms

    * tenable * defensible

    Related terms

    * tenant

    External links

    * * *

    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

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