What is "schmear"

1961, "bribery," from Yiddish shmir "spread," from shmirn "to grease, smear," from Middle High German smiren, from Old High German smirwen "to smear" (see smear (v.); compare slang to grease (someone's) palm "to bribe"). Phrase the whole schmear "the entire affair" is attested from 1969, originally show business jargon,

n. 1 A spread that goes on a bagel 2 A batch of things that go together 3 An aggregate vb. To spread something (often a schmear in the first noun sense)

n. (Yiddish) a batch of things that go together; "he bought the whole schmeer" [syn: schmeer, shmear]

__NOTOC__ Schmear is a word of Germanic origin, equivalent to 'smear' or 'spread' (usually fat or butter). In some Germanic languages, the cognate of smear itself means butter.

Origin: Before 900; (v.) Middle English: smeren, smirien to rub with fat, anoint; Old English: smirian, smerian, smerwan; cognate with Dutch: ; German: , Icelandic: , Old Norse: smyrja, smyrwa; (noun) in current senses derivative of the verb; compare obsolete smear: fat, grease, ointment; Middle English: smere; Old English: smeoru; cognate with Dutch: ; German: , Old Norse: smjǫr, Swedish: smör - butter; Danish: smør - butter; Greek: - rubbing powder.

The use and spelling schmear or shmear in American English is a direct loanword from Yiddish, where its original usage referred to cheese. In modern usage it has extended to anything that can be spread, such as cream cheese spread upon a bagel. In some cases, it refers to "an entire set or group of related things", or the expression "the whole shmear".

As a slang term, the word in Yiddish also refers to a slap on the face, primarily when disciplining young children.

It can also refer to bribery, as a "little extra" spread on top.