# lam

/ˈɫæm/ (US) · /lˈæm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lam
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. escaping from the law

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

the act of running away or hiding, usually from the police.

For teachers: a flight or escape, typically from legal authorities or a prison; most commonly used in the idiomatic phrase 'on the lam'.

- The bank robber has been on the lam for three weeks now.
- After the prison break, the fugitives remained on the lam for several months, successfully evading multiple state-wide manhunts.

Usage: Almost exclusively used in the prepositional phrase 'on the lam'.

Teaching tip: This is a classic American noir or 'gangster' term; while still understood, it sounds slightly dated or cinematic to modern ears.

### 3. to run away

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Archaic

to run away quickly, especially to avoid getting caught.

For teachers: to flee or depart hastily; an intransitive verb often associated with criminal activity.

- As soon as they heard the sirens, the vandals decided to lam.
- The suspects were forced to lam through the back alley when the police blockade appeared at the front of the building.

Usage: Intransitive; does not take a direct object.

Teaching tip: The verb form is much rarer than the noun phrase 'on the lam' and may sound very old-fashioned to native speakers.

## Examples

- The bank robber has been on the lam for three weeks.
- After escaping from the local precinct, the suspect remained on the lam by hiding in a series of safe houses.
- The protagonist spends the final act of the novel on the lam, navigating a landscape of paranoia where every stranger represents a potential informant for the state.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.