Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US Und.) to run away, to escape from prison.

1886		A. Pinkerton Thirty Years a Detective 41: After he [a pickpocket] has secured the wallet he will chirp like a bird, or will utter the word ‘lam!’ This means to let the man go, and to get out of the way as soon as possible .
1893		F.P. Dunne in Schaaf Mr Dooley’s Chicago (1977) 59: A few months ago iverbody had th’ rowly-bowlys. There did be long green shtickin’ out iv vest pockets [...] Now look at it. The same men does be lammin’ up th’ sthreet with lace curtains on th’ buttons of their pa-ants an’ th’ sheriff afther thim with a writ.
1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 170: They lam out Satiddy night an’ never give up nothin’.
1918		H. Simon ‘Prison Dict.’ in AS VIII:3 (1933) 29/1: LAMB. To escape.
1920		B.C. Williams in O. Henry Memorial Award Prize Stories 59: But the kid had lammed out in the sun swift as a kick.
1927		H.C. Witwer Classics in Sl. 46: It seems that the Champ thought I was comin’ after him when I fell, jumped or was thrown out of the ring and takin’ no chances, he lammed.
1931		(con. 1910s) C.W. Willemse Behind The Green Lights 158: He’s lammed to Chicago.
1940		J.H. O’Hara Pal Joey 20: He advised me to lam out of there.
1940		T. Thursday ‘There’s Hicks In All Trades’ in All Sports Feb. 🌐 I got in a jam back East with the burglar what managed me and I had to lam out.
1949		F. Brown Dead Ringer 131: What about why he lammed? Will he talk about that?
1954		(con. 1943) C. Chessman Cell 2455 252: I should have run [...] lammed out of southern California.
1955		E. Hunter ‘See Him Die’ in Jungle Kids (1967) 102: That was just before he lammed out.
1957		Kerouac On The Road (1972) 9: She reported to the police some false [...] charge, and Dean had to lam from Hoboken.
1957		C. Himes Imabelle 107: We’re lamming, ain’t we?
1963		in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 48: Next thing – they lam out.
1965		C. Himes Rage in Harlem (1969) 108: [as 1957].
1973		E. Bunker No Beast So Fierce 26: I’ve got thirty dollars gate money. I won’t lam and leave that behind.
1977		R.A. Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land 247: He lammed out of town to save his skin.
1990		V. Bourjaily Old Soldier 50: Renegade Great Grandad Mckay, who’d lammed out of Scotland after what must have been a murder.
1991		(con. 1920s) O.D. Brooks Legs 53: I told them we’ve known for two days they were getting ready to go through the wall, and you were going to lam out of here by yourself after they’d gone.
1999		Observer Screen 1 Aug. 6: Lam: to lay down, to go into hiding.
2001		(con. 1975–6) E. Little Steel Toes 68: We’re lamming from a riot and a black guy is gonna hide us out?
2003		J. Stockmyer What’s in a Name 186: But Wolff had awakened from his trance unbidden, and lammed out of there, leaving both Z and Jamie shaken.

2. to leave, to go away (without the assumed pressure of sense 1).

1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 385: My remaining flat-mate had to lam West for Chicago to get a job.
1905		F. Hutchison Philosophy of Johnny the Gent 10: [S]he lams for the door. ‘Wait a minute!’ says the Wise Cracker, an’ he lams out after her.
1918		Jackson Dly News (MS) 1 Apr. 7/1: Crook Chatter [...] ‘Are you lambin’ it?’ ‘Not me’ .
1930		J. Lait Gangster Girl 29: Let’s lam. [Ibid.] 164: I got to be lammin’ along now.
1939		R. Chandler Big Sleep 162: I hear a guy say laughing that Eddie Mars’s woman lammed out with Rusty Regan.
1940		R.L. Bellem ‘Death’s Passport’ in Goodstone Pulps (1970) 114/2: They chorused okay and lammed.
1949		R. Chandler Little Sister 108: Why the hell don’t you lam out of here, bud?
1972		D. Dalby ‘African element in American English’ in Kochman Rappin’ and Stylin’ Out 182: lam — ‘to go (or dome); depart quickly, run away, escape’.
1999		J. Baker Walking With Ghosts (2000) 47: She lammed off with another woman.
2004		E. Weiner Drop Dead, My Lovely (2005) 232: No suitcase, so she’s not lamming.

3. (US, also lam out) to chase, to run (after).

1905		F. Hutchison Philosophy of Johnny the Gent 28: Well about ten minutes after post time in lams the Wise Cracker.
1916		‘Thieves’ Sl.’ Toronto Star 19 Jan. 2/5: TO RUN To tear, to lam.
1919		St Louis Post-Despatch (MO) 16 Jan. 25/2: Then a bunch of hick bulls lam out after you and you flag it for here.
1935		R.L. Bellem ‘Death’s Bright Halo’ in Spicy Detective Oct. 🌐 Then the pair of us lammed for the road.
1959		W. Burroughs Naked Lunch (1968) 233: The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, who lams for the 6.12 knowing he has been spotted.