Definition

1. Noun:
   • Comic verse of irregular measure: "Doggerel" refers to poorly written, trivial, or irregular poetry, often with a humorous or nonsensical intent. It is characterized by its lack of artistic merit, clumsy rhythm, and forced rhymes.

Usage

• Noun: Used to describe poetry that is considered crude, trivial, or artistically inferior. It often implies a humorous or satirical purpose, despite its technical flaws.
  • The poet was embarrassed by the doggerel he wrote as a child.
  • Political satire is sometimes expressed through clever doggerel.

Examples

• Noun:
  • He amused his friends by reciting a piece of silly doggerel about the weather.
  • The greeting card was filled with sentimental doggerel.
  • Critics dismissed the poem as mere doggerel, unworthy of serious study.

Advanced Usage

• Used attributively: "Doggerel" can function as an adjective in some contexts, though "doggerel verse" is more common.
  • The magazine published a doggerel competition for amateur writers.
• In literary criticism: The term is used to contrast with serious poetry, highlighting a work's technical deficiencies or trivial subject matter.
  • The epic's few weak passages descend into unintentional doggerel.

Variants and Related Words

• Doggerelist (n, rare): A writer of doggerel.
• Doggerel verse: A more explicit phrase for poetry of this kind.

Synonyms

• Doggerel verse: The most direct synonym.
• Doggrel (n): An archaic or variant spelling.
• Jingle: Suggests a catchy, simple, and often trivial verse.
• Ditty: A short, simple song, which can sometimes be of poor quality.
• Dog-Latin: Analogous term for poorly constructed Latin.

Antonyms

• Poetry: In its general sense as serious, artistic verse.
• Verse: When implying skill and metrical regularity.
• Lyric: Suggests personal, expressive, and artistic poetry.

Idioms and Phrases

• To lapse into doggerel: To unintentionally start writing or speaking in a crude, rhyming style.
  • The speaker, trying to be witty, lapsed into doggerel.
• Nothing but doggerel: A dismissive phrase indicating something has no literary value.
  • His latest effort is nothing but doggerel.

Noun

1. a comic verse of irregular measure
   • he had heard some silly doggerel that kept running through his mind