belam

English

Etymology

be- +‎ lam

Verb

belam (third-person singular simple present belams, present participle belamming, simple past and past participle belammed)

1. (UK, dialect, dated, transitive) To beat or bang.
   • 1653, François Rabelais, “Pantagruel King of the Dipsodes”, in W. Heath Robinson, transl., The Works of Mr. Francis Rabelais‎^[1], page 83:

     he unjoynted the spondyles or knuckles of the neck , disfigured their chaps , gashed their faces , made their cheeks hang flapping on their chin , and so swinged and belammed them , that they fell down before him

References

• “belam”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Amble, Embla, Lambe, Mabel, Mable, Melba, amble, blame, melba