Useful German

With respect to Greg Ross’ Futility Closet

• Feierabend: a festive frame of mind at the end of a working day
• Drachenfutter: (“dragon fodder”) a peace offering to a wife from a guilty husband
• Erminenfloh: (“ermine flea”) a sycophant to the powerful
• Fachmensch: a narrow specialist
• Fingerspitzengefühl: (“fingertipfeel”) intuitive sensibility, confident sureness of touch
• fisselig: nagged and flustered to the point of incompetence
• pomadig: “like hair oil,” resourceful, confident, able to slip through difficulties
• Schlimmbesserung: an intended improvement that has made things worse
• Stammplatz: a favorite, usual spot, as a table at a café
• Torschlusspanik: (“gate closing panic”) fear that time is running out to act
• Wundersucht: a passion for miracles
• Zivilcourage: courage to express unpopular opinions
• Zwischenraum: the space between things