بلاش

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

Probably from Arabic بِلَا شَيْء (bi-lā šayʾ, “for nothing”). Eventually the b- was considered part of the word, and the preposition ب (b(i)-) is now added before it again.

Noun

بلاش • (balāš) m

1. No charge; no money; a price of zero; (in context) for free; gratis.

   ما في شي ببلاش غير العمى والطراش.

   Ma fi ši bi-balāš ḡayr il-ʿama wi-ṭ-ṭarāš.

   Nothing is for free except blindness and deafness. (A saying.)