Lemming

Definitions

1. A small arctic and subarctic rodent of the tribes Lemmini, Dicrostonychini and Lagurini.
2. Any member of a group given to conformity or groupthink, especially a group poised to follow a leader off a cliff.
   figuratively

Equivalents

Examples

“The well-known lemmings, in severe winters, at long intervals, move⟳ down from the mountains of Scandinavia in immense numbers, crossing lakes and rivers, eating their way through haystacks, and surmounting every obstacle till they reach⟳ the sea, whence very few return⟳.”

“Lemmings are strongly cohesive, but could be, in organisational terms, highly destructive for the business.”

“Like⟳ a lemming, I followed the crowd, got to the right line and was concentrating hard when queried by the customs officer.”

““It’s like⟳ the one person did it once and since then everyone has followed like⟳ lemmings, they all just copy⟳ each other’s behaviour,” said [Paul] Loebenberg.”

CEFR level