Schmear

Schmear is a word of Germanic origin, equivalent to 'smear' or 'spread' (usually fat or butter). In some Germanic languages, the cognate of smear itself means butter.

Origin: Before 900; (v.) Middle English: smeren, smirien to rub with fat, anoint; Old English: smirian, smerian, smerwan; cognate with Dutch: [smeren] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help); German: [schmieren] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), Icelandic: [smyrja] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), Old Norse: smyrja, smyrwa; (noun) in current senses derivative of the verb; compare obsolete smear: fat, grease, ointment; Middle English: smere; Old English: smeoru; cognate with Dutch: [smear] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help); German: [Schmer] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), Old Norse: smjǫr, Swedish: smör - butter; Danish: smør - butter; Greek: [σμύρις] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (smýris) - rubbing powder.

The use and spelling schmear or shmear in American English is a direct loanword from Yiddish, where its original usage referred to cheese. In modern usage it has extended to anything that can be spread, such as cream cheese spread upon a bagel. In some cases, it refers to "an entire set or group of related things", or the expression "the whole shmear".

As a slang term, the word shmir in Yiddish also refers to a slap on the face, primarily when disciplining young children.

It can also refer to bribery, as a "little extra" spread on top.

See also

• List of English words of Yiddish origin

References

Sources

• http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9501E1D9163AF934A15754C0A961958260
• http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-151530407.html
• http://www.forward.com/articles/now-shmear-this/
• http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1997/06/08/1997-06-08_oy_vey_es_schmear__something.html