wallah
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English[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”).
Alternative forms[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
wallah (plural wallahs)
- (India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah.
- 1931, George Orwell, A Hanging:
- Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.
- (India, historical) Short for competition wallah.
- (British, slang) A guy or bloke.
Derived terms[edit]
Etymology 2[edit]
From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”).
Alternative forms[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Adverb[edit]
wallah (not comparable)
- (Islam) by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath
Etymology 3[edit]
A corruption of voilà.
Interjection[edit]
wallah
- Voilà.
References[edit]
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
Danish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh).
Interjection[edit]
wallah
- (slang) Generic intensifier.
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, “I swear by God”).
Pronunciation[edit]
Interjection[edit]
wallah
German[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, “I swear by God”), likely via Turkish valla.
Pronunciation[edit]
Interjection[edit]
wallah
- (slang) Generic intensifier.
Adverb[edit]
wallah
Further reading[edit]
- “wallah” in Duden online
- “wallah” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “wallah” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
Swedish[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh).
Interjection[edit]
wallah
- (Islam) wallah (when making an oath)
- Synonym: mammas död
- – Är det sant? – Wallah! Jag svär!
- – Is that true? – Wallah! I swear!
- (slang) Generic intensifier.
Related terms[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Categories:
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