schlemiel

schlemiel
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 Simeon, identified with the Simeonite prince Zimri ben Salu, who was killed while committing adultery. (Cf. SCHLEMAZEL (Cf. schlemazel)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • schlemiel — [n] dolt blockhead*, boob*, bungler, dimwit*, dope, dork*, dumbbell*, dunce, fool, goof*, goon*, idiot, ignoramus, jerk, lunkhead*, meathead*, nincompoop*, ninny*, nitwit*, sap*, schmuck, simpleton, stooge*, stupid; concepts 412,423 …   New thesaurus

  • schlemiel — ☆ schlemiel [shlə mēl′ ] n. [W Yiddish shlemil < Heb shelumiel, name of a tribal chief (see Num. 1:6), identified in the Talmud with a prince who met an unfortunate end] Slang an ineffectual, bungling person who habitually fails or is easily… …   English World dictionary

  • Schlemiel — Der Ausdruck Schlemihl (von jiddisch: Schlamassel) bezeichnet in der ostjüdischen Kultur den sprichwörtlichen Pechvogel, Unglücksraben, Narren. Massel (מזל mazal) bedeutet Glück im Jiddischen. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Zur Figur des Schlemihl 2 Der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • schlemiel — UK [ʃləˈmiːl] / US [ʃləˈmɪl] noun [countable] Word forms schlemiel : singular schlemiel plural schlemiels American informal someone who is not very intelligent or lucky and who makes a lot of mistakes …   English dictionary

  • schlemiel — AND schlemihl; shlemiel[Jla”mil] n. a gullible person; a loser. (From Hebrew Shelumiel via Yiddish.) □ See if you can get that schlemiel to buy the Brooklyn Bridge. □ The stupid schlemiel says he already bought it yesterday …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • schlemiel — n a fool, clumsy unfortunate, loser. A Yid dish word (pronounced shler meal ) used with a mixture of pity and con tempt. In 1813 von Chamisso wrote Peter Schlemihl s Wunderbare Geschlichte; a parable describing a man selling his shadow and his… …   Contemporary slang

  • schlemiel —    , shlemiel    (shleh MEEL) [Yiddish, from Hebrew] In slang, an awkward, inept, or clumsy person; a bungler; one who is easily deceived.    See also klutz, schlimazel.    Benny Profane, self styled schlemiel wanderer through the streets of… …   Dictionary of foreign words and phrases

  • Schlemiel the painter's Algorithm — In software development, a Schlemiel the Painter [ s] algorithm denotes any methodology that is inefficient because the programmer has overlooked some fundamental issues at the very lowest levels of software design. The term was coined by… …   Wikipedia

  • schlemiel — also shlemiel noun Etymology: Yiddish shlemil Date: 1892 an unlucky bungler ; chump …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • schlemiel — /shleuh meel /, n. Slang. an awkward and unlucky person for whom things never turn out right. Also, schlemihl, shlemiel. [1890 95; < Yiddish shlemil < Heb shalumi el Shelumiel, a Biblical and Talmudic figure] * * * …   Universalium

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