‖arme, adjective

/ˈar(ə)mə/
Forms:
Also arm, armen.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier Dutch), attributive form of arm poor.
Poor, needy, unfortunate; usually an expression of pity.
[1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 73Ver doem de government! it presses us in every way; we de armen boeren (the poor farmers) pay for everything.]
1901 Grocott’s Penny Mail 17 Apr. 3We are so often called upon to record ever-recurring acts of fiendish treachery on the part of the arme boer, that they have become monotonous.
1911 Farmer’s Weekly 11 Oct. 170Increased production..was not to be brought about by putting down the ‘arme blanke’ nor was it going to be brought about in the towns or by farming by proxy.
1931 V. Sampson Kom Binne 298Two Boers standing on the stoep, watching him go with varied emotions...‘Arme man (poor man),’ said Mrs Von Tonder, with feminine sympathy.
1941 N. Masiba in Bantu World 22 Feb. 8I really felt sorry for him. ‘Arme man.’ Girls! we ought to sympathize.
1979 F. Dike First S. African 11I feel sorry for him now, arme ou, I mean I really ripped him off, and on top of that he bought me this bottle of scotch.
1987 Pace May 4Suddenly the cat is out the bag and the arme ngamlas from Europe are startled.
Poor, needy, unfortunate; usually an expression of pity.
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18381987
arm, nounn.Armscor, nounn.
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