Off the schnide? snide? shnide?
 

I've heard commentators using the phrase "off the schnide" when a player is finally getting things correct again. What is the proper spelling, and what the heck is a schnide anyway?

Beats me.

What sport are you watching when you heard this phrase?

Professional football (US version, not soccer), although I think I've heard it with other sports as well.

hmmm, I watch a lot of sports and i've never heard said phrase used.

I spend almost all of every Sunday during the season watching football and do not recall hearing that phrase.

Same here, watch alot of football and read alot of articles and I don't know what the snide you are talking about.

I had always spelled it schneid, but I just checked that spelling and about 5 others at www.m-w.com and none of them are in the dictionary. I have heard of it but I'll be damned if I know how to spell it.

I've never head it either :(

crazybill5280 is right. the correct spelling is schneid. the phrase was derived from the word schneider, which means "to prevent (an opponent) from scoring a point in a game or match".

Schnide : It comes from the German word meaning tailor, via Yiddish, and as you say is used in various card games to mean a clean sweep.


Ah yes, our beloved Schnide. The schnide is cruel and the schnide is
viscous. The schnide has no mercy and takes no prisoners. Once the schnide
grabs a hold of you, it's very hard to shake it loose.


I've also heard it used to mean "on the dole". Getting off the schnide, off the free cheese.

I've heard the term the most in baseball when a player is getting his swing back and getting out of his slump he's "getting off the schnide" or however you spell it.

I have heard it used most in hockey. I always attributed their use because of the "old fashioned" nature of the hockey mentality. In my experience, it has always represented someone or team that hasn't scored or won in a while.

try this link to The Phrase Finder...

http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/cgi-bin/hts...ff+the+schneid

I too thought it was when the player was coming out of a slump or funk or what have you and started playing better he is "getting off the schneid"

Very cool, gotta add that site to the bookmarks...