Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LAME, a. [Sax. lame or lama; G. lahm; D. Dan. lam; Sw. lahm. It is probably allied to limp.]

1. Crippled or disabled in a limb, or otherwise injured so as to be unsound and impaired in strength; as, a lame arm or leg, or a person lame in one leg.
2. Imperfect; not satisfactory; as, a lame excuse. – Swift.
3. Hobbling; not smooth; as numbers in verse. Dryden.