Words You Might Say

Ad Nauseam (add NAWZ-ee-am); Latin
Definition: To a sickening degree.
Usage: My neighbor fretted about her garden ad nauseam, but I could not care less about her bad bulb season.

Chez (shay); French
Definition: At the home of; at or by. Often used with the French word nous (we), meaning "at our home."
Usage: You're invited to a party chez nous.
Worth Noting: Don't say "You're invited to a party at chez nous."

Faux Pas (foe pah); French
Definition: A social blunder.
Usage: Criticizing the boss's daughter was just her first faux pas on the new job.

Mensch (mentsh); Yiddish
Definition: A person of honor and integrity; a decent, upright person.
Usage: His grandfather always used to tell him, "Comb your hair, straighten your tie, look people in the eye, and be a mensch."
Worth Noting: The word mensch may sound less complimentary than it is. Many people mistake it for a put-down.

Shlemiel (shleh-MEEL); Yiddish
Shlimazel (shlih-MAH-zull); Yiddish
Definition: The schlemiel is a fool; the schlimazel is an unlucky person. The schlemiel is forever messing things up, while the schlimazel is always on the wrong end of the schlemiel's foul-ups.
Usage: That schlemiel can get lost driving around the block. Take it from the schlimazel who gets a ride with him every day.
Worth Noting: Both words entered common American conversation with the theme song to TV's Laverne and Shirley, which kicked off with "Shlemiel, shlimazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated...."

Schlep (shlep); Yiddish
Definition: To drag, carry with difficulty, travel slowly or awkwardly.
Usage: The elevator was on the fritz, so we had to schlep our suitcases all the way up.

Shmooze (shmooz); Yiddish
Definition: To talk casually, chat, network.
Usage: In Hollywood it's all about whom you know — and shmoozing really pays off.

Vis-à-Vis (VEEZ-ah-VEE); French
Definition: Face-to-face with; compared with; in regard to.
Usage: My thoughts vis-à-vis the new highway are mixed: It will be good for business but will also increase pollution and noise.
Worth Noting: Vis-à-vis is most often misused as a way to describe an agreement between two people.