I. Used as a common noun.
1. obsolete. A naval or military officer; a civil official.
[1598 J. Davys in R. Raven-Hart Before Van Riebeeck (1967
) 20
The Flemmings fled before them like Mice before Cats, throwing away their weapons most basely. And our Baase, to save himself stayed aboord.]
[1625 S. Purchas Hachluytus Posthymus (1905
) II. 306
Our Baase, (for so a Dutch Captaine is called) chose a Master of Mis-rule by the name of Kesar.]
1786 G. Forster tr. of A. Sparrman’s Voy. to Cape of G.H. I. 55
The owner or bailiff (or as they call him there, the baas) presented me with a glass of a strong-bodied wine.
1861 P.B. Borcherds Auto-Biog. Mem. 22
This old gentleman was the superintendent (baas) of the Company’s outpost, and had the supervision of the extensive public woods at River Zonder End.
2. The owner and master of a home, farm, or business, and employer of the servants or labourers who work there; a manager or supervisor; in historical contexts, a slave-owner or slave-master.
1821 C.I. Latrobe Jrnl of Visit 189
The good-natured baas of the adjoining farm, coming out to meet us, offered to supply us with as much sweet milk, as we might want.
1839 W.C. Harris Wild Sports 329
Pipe in mouth, the portly Baas, or master, presently sallied forth, and..I inquired how many days’ journey it was to the Great River.
1857 Cape Monthly Mag. II. Oct. 206
Enter a coloured servant. ‘Is your baas in?’ His baas was in, but was engaged.
1872 C.A. Payton Diamond Diggings 137
If he is a ‘good baas,’ his own ‘boys’ will frequently bring him relatives or friends who will offer their services.
a1878 J. Montgomery Reminisc. (1981
) 91
The farmer had been to a sale and purchased a slave girl and her child; her man was sold to another baas, and so they were separated.
1882 C. Du Val With Show through Sn Afr. II. 211
We..got on to some farm tracks, which eventually landed us at a native kraal, the ‘Baas’ of which, an old Basuto of decidedly unprepossessing appearance, was the proprietor.
1897 J.P. Fitzpatrick Outspan 194
When I called again one boy came out. I asked him who was his baas, and he brought me to your hut.
1905 P. Gibbon Vrouw Grobelaar 50
‘If I were the baas,’ said the yellow man, ‘I would turn out the young men to walk round the fields at night, with buckets to hit with sticks, and make a noise’.
1919 R.Y. Stormberg With Love from Gwenno 73
To-day the two native boys had permission to leave early...On such occasions the young ‘baases’ finish up the kraaling between them.
1932 G.B. Shaw Adventures of Black Girl 18
Doing justice and shewing mercy is only a small part of life when one is not a baas or a judge.
1939 R.F.A. Hoernlé S. Afr. Native Policy 141
He casts aggressive scowls..at the Natives, in order to remind them that he is their ‘baas’ and they are his servants, and that it will go hard with them if they forget it.
1949 L. Hunter Afr. Dawn 75
He found out too that all the White men did not treat the ‘boys’ in their gangs as he had been treated by his ‘baas’. The majority got more work from their gangs by kindly treatment.
1953 P. Lanham Blanket Boy’s Moon 36
Best off are those African men or women who work as house-servants; for sometimes the white Baas will allow a man’s wife to live with him in the quarters, in exchange for her labour in the washing of clothes.
1962 F.C. Metrowich Scotty Smith 24
They told him that it was the property of Jan Coetzee. ‘The baas,’ they explained, ‘has ridden ahead, as we are not far from the house’.
1974 Drum 8 July 42
Dr B— is the ‘boy’ because the hospital at which he works falls under the diocese of Zululand and Bishop Z— is the ‘Baas’ because he is the only man who can hire and fire him.
1988 Frontline Nov. 27
We do not pick up bottles only. We also pick up bones. Our black baas sells the bottles and bones in Pretoria. He pays us R5 per drum.
1990 Frontline Mar.
–Apr. 33
Swerwers — coloured-cum-bushmen people who’ve lived this land for centuries and now spend their days trudging in search of a baas who’ll let them squat until he needs them no longer.
1990 M.M. Hacksley (tr. of E. van Heerden) in Lynx 190
Rations had been meagre, likewise cash for clothes and shoes, and the hand of the Baas had been stern and stingy. But it was a fine farm.
3. Any white male. Cf. master sense 2.
- Note:
- Now often offensive to the one so addressed.
1882 J. Nixon Among Boers 27
He is a servant and he accepts his position. A white man is always ‘baas’ (tr. boss) — the Dutch for master.
1897 J.P. Fitzpatrick Outspan 111
The ladies and the baases, he said, could take the footpath along the mountains over the krantzes and avoid the two drifts.
1913 D. Fairbridge Piet of Italy 174
‘My! It’s Piet, eh?’ he said..‘An’ I thought it was a baas!’
1939 R.F.A. Hoernlé S. Afr. Native Policy 16
The main lesson which the Native child has to learn in order to be fitted for its place ‘in a subordinate society,’ is that every White is a baas (master, boss); and that it is best to keep on good terms with a baas.
1951 O. Walker Shapeless Flame 191
Every man with a white skin in this country is a baas. No wonder South Africans scurry back to it, sunshine apart, after they have been voyaging.
1968 Cole & Flaherty House of Bondage 21
Police, magistrates, courts — all the apparatus of the law reinforces the already absolute power of the white baas and his madam.
1969 A. Fugard Boesman & Lena 22
Go on! Why don’t you hit me? There’s no white baases here to laugh.
1979 Het Suid-Western 12 Oct.
Let us not look for insults where none are intended. Let us also be careful not to use words like ‘baas’, ‘Hotnot’ or ‘plural’ that in themselves give offence.
1980 N. Ferreira Story of Afrikaner 100
‘Please baas, have you got a job for me? Give me a job,’ he half-pleaded, half-demanded. ‘I’m sorry,’ I said, ‘I work for a baas myself,’ and nearly bit off my tongue.
1987 Weekly Mail 23 Oct. 8
Maybe the offended baases would have strung poor Kani up a tree for all to see what happens to an uppity black.
4. A member of the ruling class; the highest authority in any country, town or region; the ‘top-dog’.
1888 Cape Punch 16 May 70
Make due reverence Councillors as I pass, For till this day week I am Grahamstown’s baas.
1955 A. Delius Young Trav. in S. Afr. 16
We don’t take orders from anybody. We are our own ‘Baas’, as we say..and so we don’t like people calling us colonials as if we took orders from somewhere else.
1974 Sunday Times 23 Feb. 6
The attitude..stems from some sort of briefing they receive from their fellows when they arrive in this country on how to get the most out of their new state of being ‘baases’ by putting the ‘Bantu’ in his place.
1981 Drum June 120
We are all South Africans, but it’s hard for us to wish Gerrie Coetzee good luck. He is white and baas.
1983 S. Afr. Digest 20 May 22
Coloureds and Indians would either have to accept their own homelands or else live in South Africa under the white ‘baas’.
1983 Frontline May 35
They think the boere have lost, so they must vote Swapo because the U.N. is baas now and the U.N. is on Swapo’s side.
5. One who, because of his superior strength, abilities or achievements, is able to command or demand deference from others.
1963 S. Cloete Rags of Glory 424
The mean old bitch thought herself so fine just because she owned a farm and he was only a bywoner. Ja, she would see who was baas now.
1970 Forum Vol.6 No.2
, 47
Listen to this fool. Punish a kaffer and he cries out. They think they can take advantage of you, but he knows who’s baas now.
1986 S. Sepamla Third Generation 53
I will treat you nice so long as you follow suit. Shit on my head and I’ll show you who is the baas.
1988 ‘K. De Boer’ in Frontline Jan. 28
Naas is baas and Botha is best, was the cry of the winter of ’87. But the end of the year established a new superstar in the Afrikaner galaxy.
1990 R. Stengel January Sun 82
The blacks regarded the Indians as baases — which the Indians usually insisted on being called — and sometimes wryly referred to them as ‘black Afrikaners’.
II. Used as a form of address.
6. ‘Master’. Often in the phrase my baas. Cf. meneer sense 4.
- Note:
- ‘My baas’ is more deferential than ‘baas’ used alone. Cf. my baasie (see baasie sense 1 a).
1827 T. Philipps Scenes & Occurrences 39
The Caffer..moved about the room with all the dignity of the Peruvian chief, uttering in an undertone ‘baas’ the Dutch for master.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 13
‘What say ye?’ replied my man, without the affix of mynheer or baas, (master). ‘Ye, to me!’ cried the Boor. ‘I’ll teach you better manners. I’ll get you punished.’
1875 J.J. Bisset Sport & War 75
A little tottie of my troop, named Hendrik Dragonder, caught hold of me by the pouch belt and pulled me back saying Vacht, bass, or Wait master.
1876 F. Boyle Savage Life 32
‘Me your Kaffir, baas,’ says he; ‘give me briefje to Mr. Jardine after breakfast, and he pay me £2?’
1899 ‘S. Erasmus’ Prinsloo 28
His Kaffir, Sixpense, called him out and said, ‘Baas, that is the great Scotty Smith, the horse thief — I know him well’.
1910 J. Buchan Prester John 38
She dropped me a curtsy. ‘This is your room, Baas,’ she said in very good English in reply to my question.
1929 D. Reitz Commando 109
To the right was another British column moving parallel with us, which caused our native Charley to remark, ‘Baas, those English people don’t know the road to Pretoria’.
1936 Williams & May I Am Black 27
The white man said suddenly: ‘Do you want work?’ Shabala turned back and stood respectfully before him. ‘Yes, Baas,’ he said.
1946 P. Abrahams Mine Boy (1954
) 72
Paddy shot out his hand. Xuma shook it. The grip was the grip of two strong men. ‘Have you money.’ ‘No, baas.’ ‘Don’t call me baas. Here.’
1958 A. Fugard Dimetos & Two Early Plays (1977
) 128
Over here it is ‘Baas’. Do you understand? Just: yes baas, no baas, please baas, thank you baas..even when he kicks you on the backside.
1961 A. Fugard Notebks (1983
) 21
Two coloured men came to the door. Trying to get flat No.4. ‘That way,’ I said. ‘Thank you, baas. Thank you, my baas.’
1973 S. Smith in Sunday Times 29 Apr. 13
I talked to quite a few Black people...Most of them called me baas or master. I know they called me those things because I am White.
1979 A.P. Brink Dry White Season 162
They laid our table, brought up our children, emptied our chamber pots, called us Baas and Miesies. We looked after them and valued their services, and taught them the Gospel.
1986 Learn & Teach No.5
, 35
We are not trained. If that man made trouble at all, all I could say is, ‘Yes baas, no baas, anything you want, baas’.
1987 S.A. Botha in Frontline Oct.
–Nov. 13
No black warder is ever given charge over white prisoners. I’ve heard a black warder addressing white cons as ‘baas’.
1994 R. Mhlaba in Weekly Mail & Guardian 13 May 14
We are going to rule this country and make sure that no black man uses the word ‘baas’ to a white man. Those days are gone.
7. Used in the third person, as a deferential form of address. Cf. baasie sense 1 a.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 178
Pushing open an old door nearly falling off its hinges, our page said; ‘Here is where baas is to sleep.’
1912 F. Bancroft Veldt Dwellers 48
The baas must come and eat; see, I have brought in the broiled chops from the fat buck the baas shot before sun-up yesterday.
1924 G. Baumann in Baumann & Bright Lost Republic (1940
) 138
‘Don’t you remember me, Baas? I neglected my duty’ (or ‘I was cheeky to my Baas’, or something or other) ‘and you gave me a flogging.’
1933 W.H.S. Bell Bygone Days 237
If Baas only knew what a schelm place it is Baas would never have come here.
1956 D. Jacobson Dance in Sun 37
‘Baas’, he said slowly, ‘it’s a letter to another missus that I want you to read to me’. He added, reminding me: ‘The baas said that he would read the letter to me.’
1961 T. Matshikiza Choc. for my Wife 85
Baas mistakes me for someone else, perhaps baas makes a mistake.
1971 J. McClure Steam Pig (1973
) 213
My baas is sure the wire he going by that bottom side?
III. Used with a surname, first name, or nickname.
8. As a title.
- Note:
- Sometimes used by one white person of another, when speaking to a Black or ‘coloured’ person.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 94
Our Bushman..pointed out a distant table-mountain, on the other side of which, they said, we should find the residence of a boor whom they called Baas Jacob.
1898 W.C. Scully Vendetta 32
Baas Gideon is my baas. But it was not an accident; baas Stephanus shot my baas with his own gun.
1920 R.Y. Stormberg Mrs Pieter de Bruyn 65
I am Marianna’s sister, mem, wot werks by Baas Pieter’s mother.
1930 N. Stevenson Farmers of Lekkerbat 262
‘Hi, you!’ he said to a native..‘There is an old woman who lives in a hovel, near where the baas Eloff Loubser lived.’
1959 J. Meiring Candle in Wind 6
It was that old Baas O’Brien again, Rosie screamed. Who did the old Baas think he was, she asked, refusing to give her credit again?
1964 J. Bennett Mr Fisherman (1967
) 24
‘Johnson!’ she called...The cook-boy shuffled out..‘You can lay the table. We won’t wait for Baas Faraday.’
1978 Weekend Post 11 Mar. 3
The city’s Deputy Mayor..has proclaimed himself as ‘Baas Ted’ in a newspaper advertisement — and he has upset the coloured community. ‘He has branded himself as a racist,’ said..Mr Peter Mopp.
1987 S. Van der Merwe in New Nation 23 Apr. 11
Baas Piet gave him promotion — to become his good farm induna.
1990 Sunday Star 23 Dec.
(Review
) 6
A black man in the audience asks whether he can call the Overvaal MP Comrade Koos. ‘You can call me Baas Koos,’ says the beefy Afrikaner.
9. As a form of address.
1961 T. Matshikiza Choc. for my Wife 37
‘Can you drink, jong, hey?’ ‘Yes, Baas Smitty.’ ‘You can’t drink, you.’
1987 J. Matlou in Staffrider Vol.6 No.4
, 40
Matlou called his boss by the name ‘Baas Dick! Baas Dick!’
1991 T. Makamba in E. Prov. Herald 14 Mar. 5
This business about reform holds nothing for us, except that we could now say ‘thank you baas De Klerk’ to cause us to be able to legally buy back our land that was robbed from us.
Master, official, employer, owner, manager, supervisor, sir, boss.
A naval or military officer; a civil official.
The owner and master of a home, farm, or business, and employer of the servants or labourers who work there; a manager or supervisor; in historical contexts, a slave-owner or slave-master.
Any white male.
A member of the ruling class; the highest authority in any country, town or region; the ‘top-dog’.
One who, because of his superior strength, abilities or achievements, is able to command or demand deference from others.
Used in the third person, as a deferential form of address.
As a title.
As a form of address.
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