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Comey's, 'Lordy, I hope there are tapes' gives Internet the vapors

Sean Rossman
USA TODAY
Former FBI director James Comey is sworn-in before a hearing in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee in Washington.

Ex-FBI Director James Comey used the kitschiest of colloquialisms when he told senators on Thursday, "Lordy, I hope there are tapes."

Comey was referring to President Trump's tweet suggesting there may be secret recordings of their discussions.

The use of the term, "lordy," made during testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, about his conversations with President Trump about Russia, spun Twitter into a frenzy, prompting asides from attorneys, journalists and Merriam-Webster's dictionary, which hasn't shied from injecting itself into national political debates.

Within seconds of Comey's utterance, Merriam-Webster tweeted the definition of "lordy," which means, "used to express surprise or strength of feeling." Dictionary.com found "lordy" was the top trending word of the Comey hearing.

The statement was an instant hit, even with former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara, who also was fired by Trump.

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