putz

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Pronunciations

putz (PUTZ) listen
putz around (puhts uh-ROUND) listen

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Definitions

  • n. A fool, an ass, a jerk.

  • v. (putz around) To waste time, fool around.

Example Sentences

  • "I can't believe you lost the game, you putz!"

  • "I putzed around the house last night, not accomplishing much."

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Languages of Origin

  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • פּאָץ pots '(vulgar) penis; fool'

      • Who Uses This

      • Jews: Jews of diverse religious backgrounds and organizational involvements
      • Non-Jews: (words that have spread outside of Jewish networks)

      Regions

      • North America
      • Great Britain
      • South Africa

      Dictionaries

      • The New Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten and Lawrence Bush (New York, 2003[1968]).
      • The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).

      Alternative Spellings

      pots, puts, potz, putz around

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