nounpl: muds (rarely used in plural)
lama
1. wet soft earth or soil; a mixture of water and fine particles of earth
The children played in the mud after the rain.
As crianças brincavam na lama depois da chuva.
2. slanderous or defamatory remarks; malicious gossip
The politician threw mud at his opponent during the debate.
O político lançou acusações contra seu oponente durante o debate.
3. a dark, murky, or turbid condition
The river water was thick with mud.
A água do rio estava espessa de lama.
In both American and Brazilian contexts, 'mud' is frequently used metaphorically in political discourse ('slinging mud'). In Brazil, 'lama' is the standard term, while 'barro' specifically refers to clay-based mud used in construction or pottery. The phrase 'your name is mud' is an English idiom meaning someone has a bad reputation.
NYC Slang
slinging mud (spreading rumors)
Related Idioms & Phrases
throw mud at someone (make defamatory accusations)
dragged through the mud (publicly disgraced)
mud-slinging (making negative accusations in politics)
clear as mud (very unclear or confusing)
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