On the lam

phrase

To escape and hide from the police or law.

After robbing the bank, he was on the lam for two weeks before they caught him.
Visual representation of "on the lam" - To escape and hide from the police or law

Often appears as...

  • be on the lam
  • go on the lam

Usage tips

Informal

Idiomatic

phrase

To escape and hide from the police or law.

After robbing the bank, he was on the lam for two weeks before they caught him.
Visual representation of "on the lam" - To escape and hide from the police or law

Often appears as...

  • be on the lam
  • go on the lam

Usage tips

Informal

Idiomatic

Definition 1 of 1
Visual representation of "on the lam"
LampPro Tip 1/3

Crime Related

Used specifically when someone is hiding to avoid being caught by the police.

Illustration for Crime Related
After the heist, he went on the lam.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Urgency and Desperation

Implies a sense of urgency or desperation to avoid capture, not a leisurely hiding.

Illustration for Urgency and Desperation
Desperate to avoid jail, she was on the lam, moving from city to city.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Cultural Usage

Most commonly used in North American English and often found in crime novels or movies.

Illustration for Cultural Usage
The detective novel described how the thief was on the lam for months.
Visual representation of the word "On the lam"

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