"Lammy": Should the current Oxford English Dictionary entry be expanded to include a new definition ?

 

Devotees of the BBC’s Radio 4 ‘Dead Ringers’ comedy offering will already be familiar with the phrase “Oh what a lammy”....

The DR team’s most recent series has treated us to hilarious weekly lampoons of our unfortunately rather ‘gaffe-prone’ foreign secretary, thereby doing much to lift the country’s morale at a time of much turbulence and uncertainty on the international and home fronts.

If there’s one thing the dear old Beeb has done right in recent months, it’s commission another series of this radio ‘gem’, for which they should rightly accept the credit that’s due… on the other hand, failure to renew or cancellation (heaven forbid!) of this series is simply not an option if they wish to retain the licence fee beyond 2027. Programme planners be warned....

The series is A must for any comedy fan - if you haven’t already sampled the delights, it's available on BBC Sounds now…..

But I digress....here's the serious bit....

The term ‘lammy’ actually already has an entry in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) pertaining to matters ovine. Given its now increasingly frequent appearance in the modern vernacular with reference to politics, a new additional meaning for the OED entry is surely justified and now overdue.

Here is a possible entry format with examples for the assessors at the OED to consider:

Lammy

n. a gaffe or practical mis-step arising from misunderstanding or misconception of the situation extant [notably political].

- “…Oh, what a lammy…’, "...You've dropped another lammy..."

v. [with obj.] to subject a person or organisation to a lammy

- “…You’ve been lammied..”

<Derivatives>  lammying v., p.p.

-          “ Keep on lammying…”

In addition, a new derivative term based on the above could also be introduced:

Lammypoon

n. a public criticism of a serious gaffe or error by a politician using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm.

v. to publicly criticise one in political office using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm

There are, of course, plenty more interesting grammatical possibilities for the lexicographers to consider….and the word is definitely not a candidate for the OED's 'room 101' as some in high office might suggest.

As an acknowledgement to the Foreign Secretary’s unrivalled contribution to raising the nation’s morale in recent weeks, as well as effectively coining a new term, we should perhaps offer the minister some kindly advice on how his 'inner self' should respond to recent events:

"...David…..don’t be disheartened about the comments those scurrilous devils at the Beeb keep making about your performance on the world stage…I'm sure these are merely made in fun and moreover, they undoubtedly do perform a valuable service to world comedy and to your nation's morale. Your country needs you, so “…keep on lammying…..”.

First published: 17.7.25; Revised 19.7.25

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