lamer

Senses

1. 1.

   to lick

   to pass the tongue over something

2. 2.

   to lap

   to drink by lapping (of animals); also to wash or bathe gently (of waves, etc.)

Examples

• "Le chien lame l'assiette."

  The dog licks the plate.

• "Les vagues lament doucement le rivage."

  The waves gently lap the shore.

• "Elle a lamé la plaie pour la nettoyer."

  She licked the wound to clean it.

Usage

Lamer is a regular first-group verb (conjugated like parler). It is standard but more literary or formal in modern French; in everyday speech, speakers may prefer lécher for "to lick" when referring to humans. The sense with waves or water is poetic and relatively uncommon in speech.