ag, interjection

/ax//ʌx/
Forms:
aag, achShow more Also aag, ach, agh, og.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African DutchShow more Afrikaans, earlier South African Dutch ach.
An exclamation expressing impatience, irritation, exasperation, sympathy, resignation, sadness, nostalgia, or pleasure. Frequently in the phrases ag man and ag shame: see man interjection and shame.
1833 Cape of G.H. Lit. Gaz. 1 Mar. 37The former exclaimed — ‘By what right, by what law have you outraged’ — ‘Ach, duiveltje,’ vociferated Noot, interrupting the concluding sentence.
1892 ‘Marian’ in Cape Illust. Mag. Dec. 115‘Ach! but that must have been old Slambie,’ he exclaimed.
1900 M. Marquard Lett. from Boer Parsonage (1967) 71Where does the need come in for such needless casting of fuel in the flames. Ach — it is all too sad.
1913 D. Fairbridge Piet of Italy 64Ach, what, man? What should I do in France? The Cape is good enough for me.
a1920 O.E.A. Schreiner in D.L. Hobman Olive Schreiner (1955) 22Ach, how nice it is outside!
1936 C. Birkby Thirstland Treks 47Ja, we left the old village. Ag, it was a nice village and I liked it.
1963 J. Packer Home from Sea 126‘Og, she’s tame, that mooi animal,’ said Ben, who loved and admired her.
1989 ‘K. Lemmer’ in Weekly Mail 3 Nov. 13‘Ag, the green and gold looked so lovely against the black of his tuxedo,’ she sighed.
1993 Sunday Nation 8 Aug. 6De B— said he once earned R800 a week as a crane-driver. ‘But ach, the drink got to me and I lost that job.’
An exclamation expressing impatience, irritation, exasperation, sympathy, resignation, sadness, nostalgia, or pleasure. Frequently in the phrases ag man and ag shame: see man interjection and shame.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18331993

Browse Related Words

By Category

Language

By Origin

Afrikaans

By Usage

idiomatic
afval, nounn.agapanthus, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English.