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7 cze 2024 · Key Takeaways. The phrase "on the lam" means to avoid capture by fleeing from law enforcement. It originated in the late 19th century and was first used by pickpockets as a signal to escape from potential danger.
In his 1886 ''30 Years a Detective,'' Allan Pinkerton, the first ''private eye,'' explains an operation of pickpockets: ''After he secures the wallet, he will utter the word 'lam!'. This means to let the man go and to get out of the way as soon as possible.''.
3 cze 2022 · Origin. The expression "on the lam" originates from the 16th century. The initial meaning of the word "lam" was to "beat soundly." By the end of the 1500s, the word was a part of the thieves' vernacular. Some experts believe Shakespeare introduced "lam" into everyday colloquial language.
If you say “on the lamb,” it means that someone is directly on top of a lamb, which is never going to be necessary to write about. Make sure you understand this difference before trying to use the saying yourself.
11 paź 2024 · It refers to being on the run, typically used in the context of criminals or fugitives trying to escape law enforcement. Example: “After the robbery, the suspects went on the lam to avoid getting caught by the police.”. The phrase suggests a sense of urgency or trying to evade capture.
29 kwi 2013 · Cassidy suggests an etymology of “lam” in a passage about an Irish-American gambler named Benny Binion: “Benny went on the lam (leim, jump), scramming to Vegas with two million dollars in the trunk of his maroon Cadillac.”
On the lam. US expression meaning on the run, usually from the law, derives from a slightly earlier American slang word lam, meaning to run off; dates from the late 19th century. The etymology is unknown.
