schlemazel

schlemazel
schlemazel (n.) "born loser," 1948, from Yiddish shlim mazel "rotten luck," from M.H.G. slim "crooked" + Heb. mazzal "luck." British slang shemozzle "an unhappy plight" (1889) is probably from the same source.
A shlemiel is the fellow who climbs to the top of a ladder with a bucket of paint and then drops it. A shimazl is the fellow on whose head the bucket falls. [Rep. Stephen J. Solarz (D.-N.Y.), 1986]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • schlemazel — AND schlemozzle; shlimazl[ fla mazl] n. an awkward, bumbling person; a loser. (Yiddish.) □ And this poor schlemazel tries to get me to help him paint his fence! □ That schlemozzle is afraid of his own shadow …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • schlemazel —  Bad luck; a person who has bad luck (Yiddish) …   American business jargon

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  • schlemiel — (n.) awkward, clumsy person, 1892, from Yiddish shlemiel bungler, from main character in A. von Chamisso s German fable The Wonderful History of Peter Schlemihl (1813), probably from Biblical name Shelumiel (Num. i:6), chief of the tribe of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • schmuck —  Obnoxious person (Yiddish).  ► “Jacob, the SCHLEMIEL, has worked in the kitchen of a restaurant for years. One night the regular waiter is sick and Jacob is given the chance to replace him. Henry, the schmuck, is a rich powerful businessman who… …   American business jargon

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  • folly — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Lack of good sense Nouns 1. folly, silliness, foolishness, inanity, idiocy; frivolity, ineptitude; giddiness; inattention; irrationality, eccentricity (see insanity); extravagance, nonsense, absurdity;… …   English dictionary for students

  • schlemozzle — Go to schlemazel …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • shlimazl — Go to schlemazel …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

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