בלויז

Yiddish

Alternative forms

• בלייז (bleyz)

Etymology

Most likely from Middle High German blōȥ, from Old High German blōz (“bare, naked”), from Proto-Germanic *blautaz (“void, emaciated, soft”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlaw- (“weak, frightened”). If so, cognate with German bloß (“mere, sole”), Dutch bloot (“bare, naked”), Danish blød (“soft, weak”), Swedish blott (“merely, just”), French blouse.

Senses 3 and 4 are related to German blöd. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “d to z?”)

Adjective

בלויז • (bloyz)

1. bare, uncovered, empty
2. unadorned, plain
3. blunt, dull
4. (figurative) stupid

Declension

Declension of בלויז

predicative					בלויז bloyz
case	masculine	neuter			feminine	plural
		indefinite	definite	post./nom.
nominative	בלויזער bloyzer	בלויז bloyz	בלויזע bloyze	בלויזס bloyzs	בלויזע bloyze	בלויזע bloyze
accusative	בלויזן bloyzn
dative			בלויזן bloyzn		בלויזער bloyzer

Derived terms

• אויסבלייזן (oysbleyzn, “to strip, to undress”)
• אַנטבלויזן (antbloyzn, “to bare, to uncover”)
• מיטן בלויזן אויג (mitn bloyzn oyg, “with the naked eye”)

Noun

בלויז • (bloyz) m, plural בלויזן (bloyzn)

1. space, open/free/bare place, emptiness
2. gap, shortage

Adverb

בלויז • (bloyz)

1. only, just

   Synonym: נאָר (nor)

Usage notes

• The alternative form בלייז (bleyz) does not apply with the adverb.

Derived terms

• נאָר און בלויז (nor un bloyz, “only, exclusively”)

References

• Astravux, Aljaksandar (2008) “blojz”, in Idyš-bjelaruski slóŭnik [Yiddish–Belarusian Dictionary], Minsk: Mjedisónt, →ISBN, page 163
• Astravux, Aljaksandar (2008) “blojzer”, in Idyš-bjelaruski slóŭnik [Yiddish–Belarusian Dictionary], Minsk: Mjedisónt, →ISBN, page 163
• Justus van de Kamp et al., “בלױז” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].