maleshint.n.
/ˈmɑːlɛʃ/, /ˌmɑːalˈɛʃ/, /ˈmɑːliːʃ/, U.S. /ˈmɑlɛʃ/, /ˈmɑliʃ/ ‘No matter!’, ‘never mind!’ Also as n.: indifference, slackness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > indifference > expression of indifference [interjection]
tah1675
shuck1847
malesh1913
1913 ‘S. Rohmer’ Myst. Dr. Fu-Manchu iv. 44 ‘Ma'alesh!’ came her soft whisper; ‘but I am afraid to trust you—yet.’
1919 W. H. Downing Digger Dial. 33 Maleesh, it doesn't matter.
1925 E. Fraser & J. Gibbons Soldier & Sailor Words 151 Maleesh: Never mind. It doesn't matter. Used colloquially on Eastern Fronts.
1946 Happy Landings (Air Ministry) July 12/1 The manpower problem will solve itself in time, but there is no excuse for the maleesh attitude.
1947 Landfall 1 162 Not so much of the ma lesh!
1958 L. Durrell Mountolive xvi. 315 Ma-alesh! Let it be forgiven! Nothing avails our grief!
1971 Guardian 22 June 3/3 The general air of ‘malesh’, Arabic for ‘never mind’, or ‘forget it’, continues to hang over the police force.
1991 T. Horwitz Baghdad without Map i. 10 ‘Malesh’ Ahmed said, producing a second oar. Malesh is an Egyptian phrase of surrender, meaning ‘never mind’ or ‘doesn't matter’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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int.n.1913