What does "blat" mean?

The Soviet system of connections and social relationships; one's social or business network (in Russian or Soviet society).

What is a synonym for "blat"?

Common synonyms include: baa, bark, bawl, bay, beep, belch.

/blæt/ noun, verb

noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Noun

1
The Soviet system of connections and social relationships; one's social or business network (in Russian or Soviet society). uncountable
"To open a new business in Russia you need blat."
2
Initialism of bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato: a sandwich made with these main ingredients. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Verb

1
To cry, as a calf or sheep; bleat. intransitive
2
cry plaintively wordnet
3
To make a senseless noise. intransitive
"A moment later the engine roared into life. Exhaust blatted through the straight-pipes; people stopped on the street to look."
4
To talk inconsiderately; blab.
5
To produce an overrich or overblown sound on a brass instrument such as a trumpet, trombone, or tuba.

Show 1 more definition

"Trombones: it may be fun to go wild, but try not to blat the notes."

Etymology 1

Imitative. First attested in 1846 in the intransitive sense of "bleat". Compare English bleat, Old English blǣtan (“to bleat”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Russian блат (blat), from Polish blat (“cover, umbrella”) or Yiddish בלאַט (blat, “leaf, list”). Doublet of blade.