dikkop, noun
/ˈdəkɔp/
- Forms:
- Show more Also diccop, dickop, dick-kop, dyk kop, and with initial capital.
- Origin:
- South African Dutch, DutchShow more South African Dutch, from Dutch dik thick + kop head.
1.
a. Plural unchanged, dikkops, or dikkoppe /-kɔpə/. Either of two species of nocturnal or twilight birds of the Burhinidae: i. Burhinus capensis, now usually called spotted dikkop, but frequently also Cape dikkop; formerly called bush dikkop or veld dikkop; ii. B. vermiculatus, usually called water dikkop. Also attributive.
- Note:
- Species of this family are elsewhere generally known as ‘thick-knees’ or ‘stone curlews’.
1853 Edin. New Philos. Jrnl (U.K.) LV. 83The dickop..seem to emerge from their daylight concealment.
1990 Weekend Post 24 Mar. 3Among her menagerie are two spotted eagle owls, two dikkoppe,..and geese.
b. [See quotation 1903.] to play dikkop: to deceive, to feign injury.
1903 E. Glanville Diamond Seekers 116They’re playing dik-kop...The dikkop drops his wing and shams hurt to lead you off.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 144Dikkop, To play, To try to deceive as the plovers do by feigning to have a broken wing, when one approaches their eggs or young.
2. noncount. Pathology. A disease of livestock.
a. In full dikkopsiekte, dikkopziekte [South African Dutch, ziekte (later Afrikaans siekte) sickness]: a form of horse-sickness affecting the heart and causing swelling of the head, neck and tongue; blue tongue sense b. Also attributive. Cf. dunkop.
1871 T. Baines Diary (1946) III. 762One of whose horses was standing apart, suffering from the ‘dikkop’ form of horse sickness.
1980 P. Schirmer Concise Illust. S. Afr. Encycl. 12Dikkop (African horse sickness), This acute infectious disease of horses, mules, and, sometimes, donkeys, has been almost eliminated.
b. Ellipt. for geeldikkop.
c1913 W. Van Heusden Treatment of Horses, Cattle, Sheep & Poultry 144Sheep and goats — Dikkop (Geel Dik Kop). This disease causes tremendous swelling of the sheep’s ears, lips, eyelids, etc.
3. Plural dikkops. The marine fish Caffrogobius nudiceps of the Gobidae (goby family); dikbekkie sense a.
1973 Beeton & Dorner in Eng. Usage in Sn Afr. Vol.4 No.1, 33Dikkop, alt: bully, goby; small marine fish, the most common goby of the s coast; found fr the w coast to Natal in rock pools & estuaries.
‖4. colloquial. ‘Blockhead’, ‘idiot’. See also dik sense 2.
1970 Beeton & Dorner in Eng. Usage in Sn Afr. Vol.1 No.1, 36Dikkop,..Afk equiv of ‘blockhead, numbskull’.
Burhinus capensis, now usually called spotted dikkop, but frequently also Cape dikkop; formerly called bush dikkop or veld dikkop;
B. vermiculatus, usually called water dikkop. Also attributive.
In full dikkopsiekte, dikkopziekte [South African Dutch, ziekte (later Afrikaans siekte) sickness]:a form of horse-sickness affecting the heart and causing swelling of the head, neck and tongue; blue tongue sense b. Also attributive.
Ellipt. for geeldikkop.
Plural dikkops.The marine fish Caffrogobius nudiceps of the Gobidae (goby family); dikbekkie sense a.
‘Blockhead’, ‘idiot’.
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