English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Yiddish שמיר (shmir, smear, spread); compare German schmieren. Doublet of smear.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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schmear (plural schmears)

  1. A spread that goes on a bagel.
  2. A batch of things that go together.
    • 1994, United States. Congress. Joint Economic Committee, Field Hearing: Defense Conversion: Hearing..., page 21:
      So you can buy a la carte programming, or you can buy the whole schmear.
  3. An aggregate.

Verb

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schmear (third-person singular simple present schmears, present participle schmearing, simple past and past participle schmeared)

  1. To spread something, often a bagel spread.
  2. (slang, transitive) To bribe.
    • 1969, Morris Renek, Siam Miami, page 131:
      "What happened?"
      "Nothing."
      "How could nothing happen if you're not with her? Listen, did you grease that d.j.?"
      "No."
      "You didn't schmear him? You think the world owes you a living?"
    • 2003, Lawrence Block, Small Town, page 638:
      [] I slipped the guy a hundred dollars."
      "You had to schmear him to sell you a patch?"

Anagrams

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