hamstring

One of the muscles at the back of your thigh that help you bend your knee.

• I pulled a hamstring while running.
• Stretch your hamstrings before you start training.
• His hamstring injury kept him out of the match.

Similar words: hams, hammy, hammie

Common phrases: pulled hamstring, hamstring injury, stretch a hamstring

A strong band of tissue behind the knee that connects a back thigh muscle to bone.

• The hamstring tendon runs behind the knee.
• The surgeon examined the damaged hamstring.
• These hamstrings connect thigh muscles to bones below the knee.

Common phrases: hamstring tendon, torn hamstring, hamstring attachment

To make someone or something unable to act effectively or achieve their goals.

• These rules hamstring small businesses.
• The project was hamstrung by staff shortages.
• Will the new restrictions hamstring our research?

How to use it: be hamstrung by something (The team was hamstrung by a lack of funding.)

Similar words: hinder, cripple, disable, incapacitate

Opposites: enable, empower

Common phrases: hamstring a project, hamstring someone's efforts, hamstring a government

To stop a person or animal walking properly by cutting the strong bands of tissue behind the knees.

• The attackers tried to hamstring the horses.
• The old account describes cattle being hamstrung with blades.
• Cutting those tendons would hamstring the animal.

Similar words: hough

Common phrases: hamstring a horse, hamstring an animal, hamstring the cattle