Thursday, February 22, 2018

Yiddish words: Kvell

Word: Kvell
Pronunciation: Rhymes with yell
Meaning: The main meaning of kvell  is to beam with immense pride, most commonly because of something your children or grandchildren did (or that you imagined they did or will do). The classic joke (which I read in The Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten, but have heard from several sources) is that two women who were friends in college meet on the street. One of them has a stroller with two babies.

"Shirley! You have kids! They're beautiful. How old are they?"
"The doctor is three and the lawyer is two".

But kvell can also mean to gloat over the misfortunes of an enemy.

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