basela, verb
- Forms:
- Show more Also baseila, basella, bassaala, bazaala, bossala.
- Origin:
- IsiXhosa, isiZuluShow more Probably from isiXhosa bhasela give a present (to), and isiZulu basela beg for, make strong demands for (literally ‘kindle a fire for’, from basa kindle + applied form suffix -ela).
obs.
To give (a present). See also bonsella (especially sense 1 b). - Note:
- Always reporting the speech of Xhosa- or Zulu-speaking people, in the imperative.
a. intransitive.
[1809 R. Collins in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1900) VII. 70Several kraals..were seen, from which the people issued on our approach, crying nyasela incosee (pray give me Sir).]
b. transitive.
1878 T.J. Lucas Camp Life & Sport 214They crawled up to my feet, begging in the most abject manner for tobacco. ‘Bazaala Tobaka’, they cried.
To give (a present).
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