tammany
LowFormal, historical, political
Definition
Meaning
A political organization or system characterized by corruption, patronage, and bossism, originally referring to the Tammany Hall Democratic political machine in New York City.
Any political machine or organization that uses corrupt methods, patronage, and control over votes to maintain power; by extension, any system of political corruption or cronyism.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is almost always used pejoratively to criticize political corruption. It carries strong historical connotations from 19th and early 20th century American urban politics. While originally a proper noun (Tammany Hall), it is now used as a common noun.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originates from and is primarily used in American political discourse. In British English, it is understood but rarely used except in historical or comparative political contexts.
Connotations
In American English: strong historical and cultural resonance related to urban political corruption. In British English: a somewhat academic or illustrative term for political machine politics.
Frequency
Much more frequent in American English, particularly in historical, political science, and journalistic contexts. Very low frequency in British English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] Tammanythe Tammany of [place/time]reminiscent of TammanyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “as corrupt as Tammany”
- “run like Tammany Hall”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used; may appear in discussions about corporate cronyism or lobbying scandals.
Academic
Common in political science, history, and American studies to describe machine politics.
Everyday
Very rare; mostly used by politically aware individuals discussing corruption.
Technical
Used in political journalism and historical analysis as a shorthand for institutional corruption.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The local council was accused of tammany practices.
American English
- He ran a tammany operation that controlled contracts for decades.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Tammany Hall was a famous political group in New York history.
- The mayor's administration was criticised for its tammany-style patronage and backroom deals.
- Political scientists often cite Tammany Hall as the archetypal example of an urban political machine that thrived on immigrant votes and corrupt patronage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'TAMMany' hands in the till – a political machine taking MANY bribes.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS A MACHINE (Tammany as a corrupt political machine).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as just 'коррупция' (corruption) – it's specifically institutional, organized political corruption. Closer to 'политическая машина' or 'система кумовства и покровительства'.
Common Mistakes
- Capitalizing when used as a common noun (incorrect: 'a Tammany'; correct: 'a tammany').
- Using it to refer to any corruption rather than specifically political/organizational corruption.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of the word 'tammany'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. When referring specifically to Tammany Hall (the historical New York organization), it is capitalized as a proper noun. When used as a common noun or adjective to mean 'corrupt political machine,' it is often lowercased (e.g., 'tammany politics').
Yes, it can be used metaphorically to describe similar corrupt political machines in other countries, though this is less common. It remains most strongly associated with US political history.
It is most commonly used as an adjective (e.g., 'tammany tactics') or as a noun modifier in compounds like 'Tammany Hall'. Its use as a standalone noun (e.g., 'a local tammany') is less frequent.
Yes, but primarily as a historical analogy or a pejorative term to criticise contemporary political organizations perceived as corrupt, patronage-based machines. It is not used to describe current formal institutions.