bliksem, noun, , interjection, , adjective, , and & adverb

Forms:
Also bliksom, bluxom.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, literally ‘lightning’.
slang, not in polite use
A. noun
a. A scoundrel, blighter, ‘bastard’; donder noun sense a.
1950 E. Partridge Dict. of Underworld 47Bliksem,..A rogue.
c1957 D. Swanson Highveld, Lowveld & Jungle 64‘The little bliksom,’ Klaussens said, staring down at the crumpled, inert body.
1977 A. Roscoe Uhuru’s Fire 226All you bliksems look the same.
1983 Drum Aug. 31These township bliksems are all communists and agitators.
1986 L.B. Hall in Style July 97‘Koos man, these blerrie horseflies are chewing me alive.’ Smack, slap. ‘The bliksems.’
1991 J. Dewes in E. Prov. Herald 10 Dec. 5A bluxom can..be a person who makes himself objectionable for any number of reasons: slander, theft, forgetfulness, failure to pay a debt or failure to buy a round of drinks.
b. A term of address equivalent to ‘bastard’, ‘scoundrel’; blikskottel sense 2 a; donder noun sense b.
1954 J. Wiles Moon to Play With 224Bliksem! Vuilgoed!’ she screamed...Then she was chasing them up the street, shouting and waving her arms at them.
1965 K. Mackenzie Deserter 43The next time the axle came down it splashed some surface water towards them. ‘You bliksem!’ James shouted, jumping backwards out of the way.
1973 Y. Burgess Life to Live 144His ‘girl-friend’ swore at him, called him ‘bliksem’, which means, innocuously enough, lightning, fed him sleeping pills and tied him to the bed.
[1984 S. Gray Three Plays 135Katoo: Make it six, jou bliksem. Abraham: No, I couldn’t do it, really, really. Where’s my profit?]
c. An utterance of this word.
1990 J. Naidoo Coolie Location 153She’s really a civilized chick. You know, no fuckings, no blerry’s, no voetseks, no bliksems.
d. In the phr. to donner the bliksem out of [see donner verb], ‘to beat the hell out of’.
1993 A. Goldstuck in Rhodent (Rhodes Univ.) 28Pik Botha...Pastimes include poetry, classical music, eastern philosophy, and donnering the bliksem out of anyone who checks him skeef.
B. interjection An expression of frustration, anger, or disgust. See also donder interjection.
1963 A. Fugard Blood Knot (1968) 151(Zach lunges suddenly, but Morris escapes) Zach: Bliksem! Wait, Morrie! Wait!
1983 A. Sparks in J. Crwys-Williams S. Afr. Despatches (1989) 447Oom Daniel was overwhelmed by his success. ‘Bliksem — bloody hell,’ he kept muttering...‘My worst mampoer won the prize’.
1990 J. Clegg in Sunday Times 24 Dec. 11If there’s criticism of something I’ve written..bliksem! It’s eina!
1991 J. Dewes in E. Prov. Herald 10 Dec. 5British technicians..first became acquainted with the word when one accidentally collided with a South African, not only hurting the South African’s nose but also treading on his toes. ‘Bluxom!’ said the South African, rubbing his nose and hopping on one foot.
C. adjective. Also (attributive) bliksemse. Damned.
1975 S. Roberts Outside Life’s Feast 85It was blarry good luck for him there was a bliksemse lawaai coming from the bathroom an’ we somaar walk in.
1987 Rhodes SR Scene (Grahamstown) May 2 (cartoon)Go, and darken my door no more!..The bliksem liberal voted Nat!
D. adverb Used as an intensifier; cf. blerry adverb.
1977 Fugard & Devenish Guest 20One thing I do know, his medicine is bliksem strong.
1983 J. Cronin Inside 8At fifteen he became office boy at Katzenellenbogen’s..where he learned:..The GPO telegram charge is reckoned per word. A word is 15 letters max. You have to drop one l from Katzenellenbogen Inc or Hear me boy?! nex’time you’s gonna pay extra one word charge your bliksem self.
A scoundrel, blighter, ‘bastard’; donder noun sense a.
A term of address equivalent to ‘bastard’, ‘scoundrel’; blikskottel sense 2 a; donder noun sense b.
An utterance of this word.
In the phr. to donner the bliksem out of, ‘to beat the hell out of’.
An expression of frustration, anger, or disgust.
Also (attributive) bliksemse.Damned.
Used as an intensifier;
Derivatives:
Hence bliksem  transitive verb, to curse (something) with the word ‘bliksem’; to beat (someone) up.
1980 M. Mutloatse in Staffrider Vol.3 No.4, 40‘Well, if this bugger gets up he’s going to moer us again; or his chommies will get here and bliksem us to pieces.
1991 J. Dewes in E. Prov. Herald 10 Dec. 5Inanimate things can..be bluxomed with ease: an obstinate wheelnut, a cigarette lighter that won’t work, a letter from a creditor, or a dog barking at dead of night.
1991 D. Boswell Informant, Giyani, LimpopoI’m warning you. Don’t gooi me grief because I’m not in the mood...I’ll bliksem you.
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