Quotes make Oxford dictionary

The character takes his place alongside such luminaries as Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde, with two entries in the new book.

One of the lines that made it was: ‘Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is never try.’

It appeared in an episode entitled Burns' Heir, written by Jack Richdale in 1994.

And the other was: ‘Kids are the best, Apu. You can teach them to hate the things you hate. And they practically raise themselves, what with the internet and all.’

It came from a 1999 episode entitled Eight Misbehavin', written by Matt Selma.

Both quotations appear under the entry for 53-year-old Simpsons creator Matt Groening.

Homer did appear in a previous edition of the dictionary with his exasperated: ‘D’oh’.

The book also previously included Scottish caretaker Groundskeeper Willie’s 1995 insult to the French: ‘Bonjour, you cheese-eating surrender monkeys’ and Bart’s catchphrases ‘Eat my shorts!’ and ‘I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?’

Stephen Fry also makes the latest edition, which is out today, with: ‘The e-mail of the species is deadlier than the mail.’

Dictionary editor Elizabeth Knowles said: ‘To edit a dictionary of modern quotations is endlessly fascinating - you find yourself looking at today's world from the perspective of a host of people from past and present, in quotations ranging from the deeply serious to the frivolous and surreal.’

Published: 22 Aug 2007