boet, noun

/bʊt/, /but/
Forms:
Also with initial capital.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from Dutch (Zealand dialect) boet youngster.
colloquial
See also ouboet.
1. ‘Mate’, ‘pal’, ‘friend’, ‘buddy’, used familiarly or affectionately of or to a man or boy:
a. As a term of address. Cf. boetie sense 2.
1920 R.Y. Stormberg Mrs Pieter de Bruyn 59This is the great day, Boet. Lucie said you could have your first meal to-day.
1949 H.C. Bosman Cold Stone Jug (1969) 48What do you want to pick on us for, Boet?..It’s not us, man.
1976 J. McClure Rogue Eagle 114‘Hey! Where’s my snuff?’ Steyn demanded. ‘Sorry, boet — I’m coming, man, I’m coming.’
1988 S.A. Botha in Frontline Apr.May 25‘You coming with, boet?’ George’s friend asked me.
1991 A. Jay on Radio 5, 4 Jan.I’d like to live in New York for a couple of years, to age quickly. Ja boet, it’s true.
b. As a term of reference.
1974 B. Simon Joburg, Sis! 146Anyway, he hooks up with me and won’t let me go, says I’m his boet, his china, his all-time mate.
2. ‘Brother’: used before a man’s first name as an informal title; boeta sense a. Cf. bra sense 1.
1920 R.Y. Stormberg Mrs Pieter de Bruyn 35‘You see, Boet Gavie, it’s this way,’ he said.
a1968 D.C. Themba in E. Patel World of Can Themba (1985) 79Boet Mike said, ‘Straight.’ And they brought a bottle of brandy that looked like guilty blood.
1971 Drum July 50Boet Joe knows better than me. He was a great champ.
1980 M.P. Gwala in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 99Sorry, boet Dan. I did not mean it.
3. Brother; used familiarly or affectionately of or to one’s brother:
a. As a term of reference. Cf. boetie sense 1 a, broer sense 5.
1974 Blossom in Darling 8 May 91‘What you mean ouma?’ My boet gives out a hang of a cackle.
1976 Blossom in Darling 4 Feb. 87One shark’s tooth what my boet gives me for my last birthday.
1979 E. Prov. Herald 5 Feb. 12Beloved father of John and Helen and darling boet of Charles, Leslie and Kevin.
1986 Crux Aug. 43Now there was this little laaitie, David...One day he pulls out to take some grub to his boets in the army.
1989 Informant, Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), Eastern CapeI was hoping that the bus would be full so that my boet could drive me up to Grahamstown.
b. As a term of address.
1983 F.G. Butler Bursting World 240Jeff turns his head, and says in a loud voice: ‘Hi, Boet! Don’t forget! Give my love to Mom and Dad; tell them not to worry.’
4. figurative. rare. An Afrikaner: broeder sense 4.
1976 J. McClure Rogue Eagle 179‘Well, you know the boets,’ Tagg said, smiling to show he understood any prejudice on Buchanan’s part. ‘Afrikaners are an emotional lot.’
As a term of address.
As a term of reference.
‘Brother’: used before a man’s first name as an informal title; boeta sense a. Cf. bra sense 1.
Brother; used familiarly or affectionately of or to one’s brother:
As a term of reference.
As a term of address.
An Afrikaner: broeder sense 4.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19201991