шельма

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Russian

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle High German schelme, from Polish szelma.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key):
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Noun

ше́льма (šélʹmam anim or f anim (genitive ше́льмы, nominative plural ше́льмы, genitive plural шельм)

  1. (colloquial) rascal, rogue, scoundrel
    • 1881, Николай Лесков, “Глава тринадцатая”, in Левша; English translation from Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, transl., Lefty, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2013:
      — Видите, я лучше всех знал, что мои русские меня не обманут. Глядите, пожалуйста: ведь они, шельмы, аглицкую блоху на подковы подковали!
      — Vidite, ja lučše vsex znal, što moi russkije menja ne obmanut. Gljadite, požalujsta: vedʹ oni, šelʹmy, aglickuju bloxu na podkovy podkovali!
      “You see, I know better than anyone that my Russians won’t let me down. Look, if you please: the rogues have shod the English flea in little horseshoes!”

Declension