Russian edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Hebrew שְׁמוֹנֶה (shmone, eight), referring to 8:00 a.m. when the cells were searched each morning in the Odessa prison prior to the communist revolution.

Gračov does not give an etymology.[1] Krysin claims a Yiddish origin, without quoting the Yiddish form.[2] Elistratov compares with dialectal шмон (šmon, idler, loafer), шмо́ны (šmóny, idleness), on the possible German–Yiddish origin of which see Vasmer.[3][4]

Has also been connected with slang ашмала́ш (ašmaláš, feeling up during a search), which is of Turkic origin.[5]

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

шмон (šmonm inan (genitive шмо́на, nominative plural шмо́ны, genitive plural шмо́нов)

  1. (criminal slang) frisk, shakedown, raid, body search, search (a sudden, unexpected checkup or raid, as a police check); frisker (person doing the frisking)
  2. a sharp, unpleasant smell

Declension edit

Related terms edit

References edit

  1. ^ Gračóv, M. A. (2003) “шмон²”, in Slovarʹ tysjačeletnevo russkovo argo [Dictionary of Thousand Years of Russian Argot] (in Russian), Moscow: Ripol Classic, page 1063b
  2. ^ Krysin, L. M. (2006) “шмон”, in Tolkovyj slovarʹ inojazyčnyx slov [Explanatory Dictionary of Foreign Words] (in Russian), Moscow: Eksmo, page 888b
  3. ^ Jelistratov, V. S. (2000) “шмон”, in Slovarʹ russkovo argo (materialy 1980–1990 gg.) [Dictionary of Russian Argot (materials from 1980–1990)]‎[1] (in Russian), Moscow: Russkije slovari, page 558a
  4. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “шмон”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
  5. ^ Anikin, A. E. (2007) “ашмалаш”, in Русский этимологический словарь [Russian Etymological Dictionary] (in Russian), numbers 1 (A – аяюшка), Moscow: Manuscript Monuments Ancient Rus, →ISBN, page 355