Now Shmear This! ... what does shmear mean to you?

[Fresser]

In looking at one of the online dictionaries, it was comforting to find that the word shmear was wedged comfortably into this grouping:

shlemiel

shlep

shlimazel

shlock

shlockmeister

shlub

shmaltz

shmear

shmegegge

shmo

shmoose

shmooze

shmuck

shnook

shnorr

And, should you be somewhat familiar with Yiddish, this will make you smile as it did me!    When I was a teacher, I could have had the students attempt to put them into a sentence!

←

Nu, so this schlemiel schlepped into the schlockmeister's store to schnorr some schmaltz.

"You shnook! Shmoozing the local schmuck for a schmear? You got no mazel, Shlimazel!"

Do I pass the test, Teacher?

[Pontormo]

The article linked in the original post is misleading.

I'd have to say that either Henry does not occupy a nock of the United States penetrated by the word "schmear" or Bill Gates is just too too White Bread.

I just tried a variety of spellings of the word in a Microsoft Word document (most recent version; updates installed Tuesday). It gets a red underline for misspelling with no relevant alternatives.

[Fat Guy]

Of no particular help, Harduf's English-Yiddish/Yiddish-English dictionary says shin-mem-yud-reish means "smear."

[Fat Guy]

Also from the department of FWIW, the Lonely Planet guide to New York City (2004 edition) says on page 21: "Schmear. A small amount of cream cheese; used when ordering at a bagel counter, as in, 'I'll have a sesame bagel with a schmear.'"

[DeVeaux]

I was at Einstein Brothers' Bagels in Crown Center in Kansas City this summer for breakfast, and the WASPrincess in front of me ordered her bagel with a "smeer".

Gotta love the Midwest.

[Daniel]

And, should you be somewhat familiar with Yiddish, this will make you smile as it did me!    When I was a teacher, I could have had the students attempt to put them into a sentence!

←

Nu, so this schlemiel schlepped into the schlockmeister's store to schnorr some schmaltz.

"You shnook! Shmoozing the local schmuck for a schmear? You got no mazel, Shlimazel!"

Do I pass the test, Teacher?

←

Fresser,

I think you prooved your no shlub!

[Miriam Kresh]

This thread is a machiah... my husband keeps asking why I keep breaking into chuckles here at the computer

Miriam

[slkinsey]

To me there's a difference between a bagel with a schmear and a bagel with cream cheese. A schmear involves less cream cheese.

"Would you like a bagel with cream cheese?"

"Just a schmear."

That is, in my experience, the way the word is commonly used in NYC. A "bagel with cream cheese" often seems to have a half inch thick layer of cream cheese, whereas a "bagel with a schmear" has just the small amount that can be spread with a swipe of the knife.

Going further into bagel terminology, there was a funny bit in the NYT Metropolitan Diary a week or two ago. A customer was standing in line for a bagel at a place near the UN, and heard someone ordering a "Kofi Annan bagel." It is not uncommon here for sandwiches and the like to be named after prominent figures, so the customer figured it might be the Secretary-General's favorite bagel preparation. Since the place was so close to the UN, perhaps he was a regular there. Maybe it featured some ingredient from Ghana? Upon reaching the counter the customer inquired as to "what constitutes a 'Kofi Annan bagel.'" The counterman replied, "the same thing it always constitutes -- a coffee and a bagel."

[Gifted Gourmet]

The best name for a bagel that I ever remember hearing was one which described the increasing size of bagels today: Winnebagel ... now that was funny!

[Pam R]

The Dictionary of Popular Yiddish Words, Phrases, and Proverbs(Citadel Press) defines shmeer as:

The business; the whole works; to bribe; to coat like butter; to be excessively kind for selfish gain

To me, this means that when referring to food, it is to slather on an excessive amount of spreadable stuff.

[markabauman]

"A shmear of cream cheese" would appear to be a redundancy. I agree with FG et al about the distinction of quantity- I remember working at a snack bar in Atlantic Beach back in the '60's and there was a difference in pricing between a shmear and what they considered more of a bagel and cream cheese sandwich. Woe to someone who would put the wrong amount according to what the order was supposed to be.

[gini]

To me there's a difference between a bagel with a schmear and a bagel with cream cheese. A schmear involves less cream cheese.

"Would you like a bagel with cream cheese?"

"Just a schmear."

That is, in my experience, the way the word is commonly used in NYC. A "bagel with cream cheese" often seems to have a half inch thick layer of cream cheese, whereas a "bagel with a schmear" has just the small amount that can be spread with a swipe of the knife.

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We were just discussing this very thing Saturday morning! My mom (from Manhattan) agree with your definition, slkinsey. As well, a schmear NEVER involved butter - only cream cheese.

[markabauman]

Not to get too far afield from the food aspect of the definition, but has anyone ever heard of "schmear" being used in the following contexts:

1. To grease the palm, say, of a maitre 'd, in hopes of getting a good table

or

2. In reference to using suntan lotion, which I've heard referred to as "schmearitz" or something like that.

[Pam R]

Not to get too far afield from the food aspect of the definition, but has anyone ever heard of "schmear" being used in the following contexts:

1. To grease the palm, say, of a maitre 'd, in hopes of getting a good table

Yes.

This seems to be one of those cases where a word has one meaning in NY and another for the rest of the world.