Word of the Day: Chutzpah

Chutzpah - unmitigated effrontery or impudence, gall; audacity, nerve.

1892, from Yiddish khutspe "impudence, gall" from Hebrew hutspah.  The classic definition is that given by Leo Rosten: "that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan."

Yiddish term for courage bordering on arrogance, roughly equivalent to "nerve" (in the slang sense): "It took a lot of chutzpah to make such a controversial statement."


Yeah, just because that's how I'm feelin today :)