WOTD – May 8th, 2007: kibitz

Posted on | May 8, 2007 | No Comments

kibitz (KIB-its) verb intr.
1. To look on at some activity and offer unwanted advice or criticism.
2. To chat or banter.
[From Yiddish kibitsen, from German kiebitzen (to look on at cards), from Kiebitz (busybody, literally pewit or lapwing, a shorebird with a bad reputation as a meddler).]

I often play chess, checkers, cribbage online at places like Yahoo Games! and the minute I sit down at a virtual table and before anyone else can join the game, I turn off the kibitz function. I honestly don’t like it when others enter a game and want to either watch or talk while I’m trying to concentrate playing against a friend that I’ve invited to play. Kibitzers are a distraction.

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