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From: lberlind@gate.net (Len Berlind)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Why you, I oughta...
Date: 24 Nov 1994 01:24:06 GMT

Bo Bradham writ:

: The word "schmendrick." What does it mean, where does it come from?

: I searched the OED using a couple of different spellings, but
: to no avail

Well, of course you wouldn't find it _there_, ya cute li'l shaygets, you.

>From _The Joys of Yiddish_, by Leo Rosten, ISBN 0-671-72813-X:

"*shmendrick*

Pronounced SHMEN-drick, to rhyme with "Hendrick." From the name of the character in an operetta by Abraham Goldfaden.

1. A Caspar Milquetoast; a kind of *shlemiel* - but weak and thin. (That, at least, is how I visualize it.) A shlemiel can be physically impressive, but not a shmendrick. A shmendrick is small, short, weak, thin, a young *nebech*, perhaps an apprentice shlemiel.
2. A pipsqueak; a no-account; the opposite of a *mensh*. 'That shmendrick, maybe he'll grow up to be a mensh.'
3. Someone who can't succeed but thinks he can, and persists in acting as though he might. 'He has all the unrealistic hopes of a shmendrick.'
4. A boy, or young man; someone 'we behind the ears.' 'That shmendrick can't be trusted with such responsibility.'
5. A child (affectionately). 'How's my little shmendrick.'
6. Penis (colloquial; rarely used by men. When used by a female, the intention is to deride by diminutizing.).

A woman began to beat her shmendrick of a husband, who crawled under the bed.
'Come out!', she cried.
'No!' he said. 'I'll show you who's boss in this house!'"

Len"Trombenik"Berlind