esma

See also: esma- and -esma

Catalan

Alternative forms

• esme

Etymology

From esme, from obsolete aesmar (“to estimate, value”, verb).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈɛz.mə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ˈəz.mə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈez.ma]

Noun

esma f (plural esmes)

1. rote (mechanical routine); skill with mindless tasks

   d'esma ― mechanically; mindlessly

   • 2002, Albert Sánchez Piñol, chapter 8, in La pell freda, La Campana, →ISBN:

     Tot es feia amb gestos mecànics. Si parlàvem era amb l'esma d'actors mediocres que reciten un text ensopit.

     Everything was done with mechanical gestures. When we talked it sounded like mediocre actors mindlessly rehearsing a dull text.

2. good sense, good judgment
3. strength, courage

   Synonyms: força, coratge

   • 2002, Albert Sánchez Piñol, chapter 11, in La pell freda, La Campana, →ISBN:

     –On dimonis va ara? –em va recriminar en Batís. No tenia esma ni per contestar.

     “Where the hell are you going now?”, Batís reproached. I didn't even have the strength to reply.

Derived terms

• desesma
• esmaperdut

Further reading

• “esma” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “esma”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “esma” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “esma” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Dutch

Etymology

Clipped compounds of this kind are common in informal Dutch; compare for example baco.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

esma m (plural esma's, diminutive esmaatje n)

1. (slang) Clipping of espresso martini.

Galician

Verb

esma

1. inflection of esmar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative