the thin, overlapping metal plates in a piece of armor
See lame in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(lām)
adjectivelam·er, lam·est
Disabled so that movement, especially walking, is difficult or impossible: Lame from the accident, he walked with a cane. A lame wing kept the bird from flying.
Marked by pain or rigidness: a lame back.
Weak and ineffectual; unsatisfactory: a lame attempt to apologize; lame excuses for not arriving on time.