lordy

1. Alternative letter-case form of Lordy.

alternative lordy · alternative Lawdy

1. Expressing mild emotion, such as exasperation or frustration.

   Lordy! Where's he off to now?

   3 more examples

   Aunt Betty graciously permitted this. She always did; but if the forgetful old man wandered for a moment away from his theme she brought him back with a surreptitious: “Lordy! yo' ole head done filled wid me yit."

   1889 July 11, Herbert Tidd Bradley, “Fo' He am de Lord of de blue and de gray”, in America: A Journal for Americans, volume 2, page 453

   “I said, ‘Lordy, we have to put tops on bottoms. Let’s get something done,’ ” Comey recalled.

   2011 July 18, John Cassidy, quoting James Comey, “Mastering the Machine”, in The New Yorker, →ISSN

   In 2021, the Times described you as an “avuncular public intellectual.” How do you feel about that label? [Stephen Fry:] Oh my lordy lord. Avuncular gives me great pleasure.

   2025 June 19, Scott Heller, quoting Stephen Fry, “Stephen Fry Knows He’s Become a Middle-Aged Cliché”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

2. Expressing strong emotion, such as amazement.

   Lordy! Call your dogs off, call your dogs off! Oh! Lordy! call em off quick! quick!

   1863 March, “A horrible scrape”, in The Southern Literary Messenger, volume 37, page 172

   1 more example

   It can only be AC/DC: black black black! with the first single from their first new album in eight years, Black Ice. It's blues-metal heaviosity in exelcis^([sic]). Not clever but, oh lordy, it's big.

   2008 September 14, Craig McLean, “Rock review: AC/DC, Rock 'n' Roll Train”, in The Observer