hamstring

5 definitions • 5 examples

to limit the amount of something that can be done or the ability or power of someone to do something:

The company was hamstrung by traditional but inefficient ways of conducting business.

any of five tendons (= pieces of tissue connecting muscles to bones) at the back of the knee:

pull a hamstring He pulled (= injured) a hamstring while playing football.

one of the three large muscles at the back of the thigh:

the hamstring muscles

to prevent an activity, or to block the effectiveness of someone or something:

The company is hamstrung by its traditional but inefficient ways of doing business.

a muscle at the back of the upper part of the leg:

I played the whole game with a pulled hamstring (= injured muscle in the leg).