kibitz en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /ˈkɪbɪts/ (UK, US)
Etymology
From Yiddish קיבעצן (kibetsn), cognate to German kiebitzen (“to look on”), from German Kiebitz (“lapwing”), from Middle High German gibiz (“plover”), imitative of its cry. Compare peewit.
Meanings
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(intransitive) To make small talk or idle chatter.
Louise and I used to head down to the coffee shop and just sit for hours and kibitz.
His wife Karen listened as John and I kibitzed about our experiences at the University of Oklahoma some 40 years ago.
2004, Gerald W. Esch, Parasites, People, and Places: Essays on Field Parasitology, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN:Their owners lounge at the outdoor tables, kibitzing about cranksets, aero bars, local races or, when they can help it, anything other than cycling.
2012 August 9, Liz Robbins, “Where Cyclists Fuel Up on Carbs”, in The New York Times:Okay, we kibitzed enough. What brings you?
2004, David Daniel, Goofy Foot: An Alex Rasmussen Mystery, Minotaur Books, →ISBN:So how it’s gonna go is we’re gonna talk for about 45 minutes. We’re just gonna kibbitz here; that’s Yiddish for just kinda like […]
2018 December 10, Eric Johnson, “Full Q&A: Y Combinator’s Sam Altman and Recode’s Kara Swisher discuss tech ethics, addiction and Facebook”, in recode:
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(intransitive) To give unsolicited or unwanted advice or make unhelpful or idle comments, especially to someone playing a game.
Quit kibitzing! You're giving away my hand!
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(intransitive, transitive) To watch a card or board game.
[…] stayed in the dorm, although she lived in Brooklyn Heights, and I frequently spent long hours with her, either in her room or at the student lounge, where we drank coffee and smoked cigarettes and kibitzed the never-ending bridge game.
2002, Elisabeth Merrett, Storied Landscapes: A Journey, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 103:When it was my turn to stay in the office until 11 pm. closing, I kibitzed on their poker games and heard some colorful tales.
2012, Nona Baldwin Brown, Through the Opening Door: My Pioneering Journey in Mainstream Journalism, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 37:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| kibitzed | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| kibitzed | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| kibitzes | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| kibbitz | alternative | lexicographic | |
| kibitzing | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (20)
nl kommentaar geven (give unwanted advice) · ru болта́ть (chit-chat) · de kiebitzen (to watch a card or board game) · sh kȉbicovati (give unwanted advice) · nl roddelen (chit-chat) · ru подсказа́ть (give unwanted advice) · es cotorrear (chit-chat) · pt dar pitaco (give unwanted advice) · fi höpöttää (give unwanted advice) · ru подска́зывать (give unwanted advice) · es meter la nariz (give unwanted advice) · sh кибици́рати (give unwanted advice) · ru дава́ть непрошенные советы (give unwanted advice) · fi rupatella (chit-chat) · sh ки̏бицовати (give unwanted advice) · es parlotear (chit-chat) · fi lörpötellä (chit-chat) · cs kibicovat (give unwanted advice) · fi lörpötellä (give unwanted advice) · sh ки̏бицовати (give unwanted advice)