Yiddish, adj. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Yiddish adj.

also Yid

Jewish.

1880		Bulletin (Sydney) 1 May 4/1: The late ball given by Jewish bachelors cost one shilling less than £10 to each of the committee; but Bob Fairweather is getting up one that will (he says) knock spots off the ‘yedisha’ affair.
1890		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Unexpected Places’ Sporting Times 8 Mar. 1/3: His ticket soon was numbered, for our friend was promptly lumbered / On a game of nap, by someone slightly Yiddish.
1901		Manchester Eve. News 6 June 4/3: [headline] A Yiddish Libel Action.
1910		H. Hapgood Types from City Streets 23: They may go to a Yiddish theater.
1913		Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. (Devon) 2 Oct. 5/5: During the hearing of a Yiddish theatrical case at Bow County Court it was stated that a number of Yiddish plays [etc.].
1927		(con. 1835–40) P. Herring Bold Bendigo 135: Even his Yiddish gestures were a cover up.
1931		S.J. Perelman letter 17 Oct. in Crowther Don’t Tread on Me (1987) 8: You boll-weevil hell out of me for selling my corpse to a lot of lousy yid producers.
1934		H. Roth Call It Sleep (1977) 199: Had you no pity on a Yiddish heart?
1944		D. Runyon Runyon à la Carte 42: A slightly Yiddish dialect such as Itchky employs.
1957		Kerouac letter 18 Oct. in Charters II (1999) 70: Leo Garen will produce it in his 2nd Avenue Yiddish theater.
1962		F. Norman Guntz 192: ‘Can I have something to eat?’ asked the yid bit.
1962		R. Cook Crust on its Uppers 30: Some of those Yiddish boys never know when they’ve had enough.
1978		R. Price Ladies’ Man (1985) 100: He hadn’t aged at all. Same heavy Yid toucan nose, same bad skin.
1982		P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at the Palace (1985) 12: Sun shines out of his big yiddishe poephol!
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 146: His old man was second generation Darlinghurst Irish while his old woman was third generation North Bondi Yiddish.
1991		D. Widgery Some Lives! 187: An antidote to the fatalistic motto of the Yiddish immigrant.
1999		T. Hill Underground 80: Casimir’s got a Yid girl!
2024		C. Stella Joey Piss Pot 264: ‘Oy vey.’ ‘You’re Yiddish now?’ ‘He wishes,’ Adler said.

In compounds

Yiddish highway (n.) [New York Jews trad. move to Miami for their retirement; the relatives use the highway for visits]

(US) US301, the route from New York City to Miami.

1979

Maledicta III:2 165: Yiddish highway n US 301 between New York and Miami.

Yiddish Renaissance (n.)

over-elaborate furniture in doubtful taste.

1980

Maledicta IV:2 (Winter) 242: Yiddish Renaissance (as in Miami hotels before Miami became a part of Cuba).