Fress

/frɛs/ verb

Definition

To eat greedily or to consume food eagerly; common in Yiddish-influenced English, especially in New York City.

Etymology

From Yiddish 'fresn,' derived from Middle High German 'fressen' (to eat, especially used of animals). The word entered American English through Jewish immigration, particularly from Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Kelly Says

Fress is a perfect example of how immigration changes language—Yiddish words like this entered American English and became part of the regional dialect, especially in cities with large Jewish populations like New York!

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