MAIM

1. crim. law. To deprive a person of such part of his body as to render him less able in fighting or defending himself than he would have otherwise been. To deprive a person of a member or part of the body, the loss of which renders him less capable of fighting; to commit mayhem, (q. v.) State v. Johnson, 58 Ohio St. 417, 51 N. E. 40, 65 Am. St Rep. 769. In this respect, “to wound” is distinguishable from “to maim;” for the latter implies a permanent injury, whereas a wound is any mutilation or laceration which breaks the continuity of the outer skin. Regina v. Bullock, 11 Cox, Crim. Cas. 125. generally, it is not restricted to this common law meaning, but signifies to cripple or mutilate in any way, to inflict any permanent injury upon the body, to inflict upon a person any injury which deprives him of the use of any limb or member of the body, or renders him lame or defective in bodily vigor 2. pleadings. This is a technical word necessary to be introduced into all indictments for mayhem; the words feloniously did maim, must of necessity be inserted, because no other word, or any circumlocution, will answer the same purpose.