Crossword clues for schlemiel
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"awkward, clumsy person," 1868, from Yiddish shlemiel "bungler," from main character in A. von Chamisso's German fable "The Wonderful History of Peter Schlemihl" (1813), probably from Biblical name Shelumiel (Num. i:6), chief of the tribe of Simeon, identified with the Simeonite prince Zimri ben Salu, who was killed while committing adultery. Compare schlemazel.
Wiktionary
n. 1 A loser or a fool. 2 A person who is clumsy or who hurts others emotionally.
WordNet
n. (Yiddish) a dolt who is a habitual bungler [syn: shlemiel]
Usage examples of "schlemiel".
He knew all at once: here, for the time being, Profane the schlemiel can move nimble and sure.
Women had always happened to Profane the schlemiel like accidents: broken shoelaces, dropped dishes, pins in new shirts.
But a schlemiel, that was hardly a man: somebody who lies back and takes it from objects, like any passive woman.
He gave her that much but was mad with himself for going flabby enough to forget his schlemiel birthright.
From the pigeons in the park, from a girl picked up on any street, bad and good, a schlemiel like me takes and gives nothing back.
This poor schlemiel would not ever get to where he was going, the fool, saving time at the cost of his life.
But what was important at this point is, the feds in Florida need a way out of this fuckup of sending in the commandos to arrest the wrong guy, who turns out not to be some poor schlemiel in a parking lot, but a made wiseguy from one of the New York families--which means you could have mob lawyers heading down on the next plane, ruining your day.
Great One in such a way that the Anna Singers of the world never look at the poor schlemiels like Max Rusoff.