kvetch
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Yiddish קוועטשן (kvetshn, literally “to squeeze, pinch”), from Middle High German quetschen (“crush, press”).
Pronunciation
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Audio: (file) - Rhymes: -ɛtʃ
Verb
kvetch (third-person singular simple present kvetches, present participle kvetching, simple past and past participle kvetched)
- To whine or complain, often needlessly and incessantly.
- 1969, Philip Roth, Portnoy’s Complaint:
- Is this truth I’m delivering up, or is it just plain kvetching? Or is kvetching for people like me a form of truth?
- 2001, Glen David Gold, Carter Beats the Devil:
- Make a commitment, Charlie. Go with life or go with death, but quit the kvetching. Don’t keep us all in suspense.
Derived terms
- kvetcher (noun)
Translations
whine or complain, often needlessly and incessantly
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See also
Noun
kvetch (plural kvetches)
- A person who endlessly whines or complains; a person who finds fault with anything.
- An instance of kvetching; a complaint or whine.
Translations
person who endlessly whines or complains
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Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Yiddish
- English terms derived from Yiddish
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ɛtʃ
- Rhymes:English/ɛtʃ/1 syllable
- English lemmas
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