pamby

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• Namby Pamby — is a term for affected, weak, and maudlin speech/verse. However, its origins are in Namby Pamby (1725), by Henry Carey. Carey wrote the poem as a satire of Ambrose Philips and published it in his Poems on Several Occasions. Its first publication… …   Wikipedia

• namby-pamby — nam·by pam·by (năm′bē păm’bē) adj. 1) Weak, sentimental, or unrealistic: » life as it was really lived, you know, not as described in namby pamby self help books (Megan Hustad). 2) Lacking vigor or decisiveness; weak or spineless: »accused by… …   Word Histories

• namby-pamby — namby pambiness, namby pambyism, n. namby pambyish, adj. /nam bee pam bee/, adj., n., pl. namby pambies for 4. adj. 1. without firm methods or policy; weak or indecisive: namby pamby handling of juvenile offenders. 2. lacking in character,… …   Universalium

• namby-pamby — /næmbi ˈpæmbi/ (say nambee pambee) adjective 1. weakly simple or sentimental; insipid. –noun (plural namby pambies) 2. namby pamby verse or prose. 3. a namby pamby person: *the period which had turned him into a wild one had made me something of… …  

• namby-pamby — nam•by pam•by [[t]ˈnæm biˈpæm bi[/t]] adj. n. pl. bies 1) lacking decisiveness; irresolute: namby pamby opinions[/ex] 2) weakly sentimental; insipid: namby pamby poetry[/ex] 3) a namby pamby person or thing • Etymology: 1726; rhyming compound… …   From formal English to slang

• namby-pamby — [“naembi”paembi] mod. overly nice; effeminate and weak, when said of a male. □ Fred is too namby pamby when it comes to making up his ind. □ A real namby pamby guy. □ What a namby pamby guy! …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

• namby-pamby — [nam′bē pam′bē] adj. [orig. satirical nickname of Ambrose Philips, 18th c. Eng poet: in ridicule of his sentimental pastorals] 1. weakly sentimental; insipid 2. without vigor 3. wishy washy n. 1. namby pamby talk 2. pl. namby pambie …   English World dictionary

• Namby-pamby — Nam by pam by, a. 1. Affectedly pretty; weakly sentimental; finical; insipid. Thackeray. [1913 Webster] Namby pamby madrigals of love. W. Gifford. [1913 Webster] 2. Indecisive or weak; lacking firmness or resolve; of actions and policies. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• namby-pamby — adjective Etymology: Namby Pamby, nickname given to Ambrose Philips Date: 1741 1. lacking in character or substance ; insipid 2. weak, indecisive • namby pamby noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• namby-pamby — nam|by pam|by [ˌnæmbi ˈpæmbi] adj informal [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: Name given to the English poet Ambrose Philips (1674 1749) to make fun of him] too weak and gentle and not strict or ↑tough enough ▪ For some people soccer has a reputation as a …   Dictionary of contemporary English