קיטר

From the Hebrew root ק־ט־ר (q-t-r), related to burning or smoking. See also Arabic قَطَرَ (qaṭara, “to drip, to distill”).

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ki.ˈteʁ/

קיטר / קִטֵּר • (kitér) third-singular masculine past (pi'el construction, future יְקַטֵּר)

1. to offer incense, (generally): to give sacrificial offerings

   Synonym: הִקְטִיר (hiqtír)

   • Tanach, 2 Kings 23:5, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְהִשְׁבִּית אֶת־הַכְּמָרִים אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וַיְקַטֵּר בַּבָּמוֹת בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּמְסִבֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְאֶת־הַמְקַטְּרִים לַבַּעַל לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵחַ וְלַמַּזָּלוֹת וּלְכֹל צְבָא הַשָּׁמָיִם׃

     v-hishbít et ha-k'marím ashér natnú malkhéi Y'hudá vay'qattér ba-bamot b-'arei Y'hudá u-msibéi Y'rushaláyim v-et ha-m'qattrím la-bá'al la-shémesh v-la-yaréaḥ v-la-mazzalót u-l-khol ts'vá ha-shamáyim.

     And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to offer in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that offered unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

   • Tanach, Jeremiah 11:13, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     כִּי מִסְפַּר עָרֶיךָ הָיוּ אֱלֹהֶיךָ יְהוּדָה וּמִסְפַּר חֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם שַׂמְתֶּם מִזְבְּחוֹת לַבֹּשֶׁת מִזְבְּחוֹת לְקַטֵּר לַבָּעַל

     ki mispár arékha hayú elohékha Yehudá u-mispár ḥutsót y'rushaláyim samtém mizb'ḥót la-bóshet mizb'ḥót l'qattér la-bá'al

     For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to offer unto Baal.

2. (colloquially): to complain
   • 2020 August 1, Yehonatan Yifraḥ, quoting Betzalel Smotrich, “ח״כ קרעי: "יש לבטל את בג״צ ולהקים בית משפט לחוקה" [MK Qarai: The Supreme Court must be abolished and a Constitutional Court established]”, in ערוץ 20 [Channel 20]‎, Jerusalem: Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council:

     לא מספיק לקטר ולנאום על תחלואי מערכת המשפט. אפשר וצריך גם לתקן!

     Lo maspíq l'qattér v-lin'óm al taḥalu'éi ma'arékhet ha-mishpát. Efshár v-tsaríkh gam l'taqén!

     It is not enough to complain and talk about the ailments of the justice system. We can and must fix it!

3. (literary) smoked a pipe
4. (slang) let off steam, vented