Limp Meaning
/lɪmp/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo walk lamely, as if favoring one leg.
verbTo travel with a malfunctioning system of propulsion.
Sentence Examples
He walked with a limp.
The hat got wet and went limp.
He walked with a pronounced limp.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After twisting his ankle, he had to ____ slowly to the bench for rest.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He walked with a noticeable ____ for several days after he accidentally twisted his ankle during the game.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English limpen (“to fall short”), from Old English limpan, from Proto-West Germanic *limpan, from Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to hang down”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)lemb-, *(s)lembʰ- (“to hang loosely, hang limply”). Cognate with Low German lumpen (“to limp”), Middle High German limpfen (“to hobble, limp”), dialectal German lampen (“to hang down loosely”), Icelandic limpa (“limpness, weakness”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Dirk Kuyt sandwiched a goal in between Carroll's double as City endured a night of total misery, with captain Carlos Tevez limping off early on with a hamstring strain that puts a serious question mark over his participation in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley."
— 2011 April 11, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 3 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport:
"I think, too, of other organizations that are doing much good work for us, and maybe with words are cheered on, but when it comes to the dollars and cents, few are willing to make any sort of sacrifice to put their money where their mouth is. The National Gay Task Force is an excellent example... drawing on the support of gay people in fifty states, yet having to limp along on $65,000 a year budgets. Organizations like Christian Cause, that would wipe us out if they could, draw ten times that amount with little effort."
— 1976 August 28, John C. Lawrence, “H.C.H.S Support”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 9, page 5:
"And so we limped along for another month or two, pretending we still had a reason to be together."
— 2012, The Onion Book of Known Knowledge, page 121:
"Another line-out was stolen, and when the ball was sent left Clerc stepped and spun through limp challenges from Wilkinson, Chris Ashton and Foden to dive over and make it 11-0."
— 2011 October 8, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2025:
"To intimidate the people, you drew up Resolves, and an Address to his Majesty, founded on evidence from Governor Barnard, the Commissioners of Revenue, Custom-house Officers, and a few poor, expectant and dependent creatures, whom your Limp corresponds with in Boston; and thereby, having imposed upon, and deceived the legislature, sanctified your despotism, at the expence of their last Liberties;"
— 1770, A Lee, The Political Detection: Or, the Treachery and Tyranny of Administration, Both at Home and Abroad;, page 4:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After twisting his ankle, he had to ____ slowly to the bench for rest.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He walked with a noticeable ____ for several days after he accidentally twisted his ankle during the game.