donder, interjection and & noun
/ˈdɔnə(r)/
- Forms:
- Also don’er, donner.
- Origin:
- AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, ‘wretch’.
slang, not in polite use
A. interjection Often in the phrase donder and bliksem [Afrikaans donder en bliksem literally ‘thunder and lightning’]: an expression of frustration or anger, equivalent to ‘confound it’, ‘blast’. See also bliksem interjection.
1863 Lady Duff-Gordon in F. Galton Vacation Tourists (1864) III. 182The hardest blows are those given with the tongue...‘Verdomde Schmeerlap!’ — ‘Donder and Bliksem! am I a verdomde Schmeerlap?’
B. noun
1. An abusive term; a ‘blighter’ or ‘bastard’.
a. bliksem noun sense a.
1872 Cape Argus 29 Oct. 4I told prisoner to leave off beating her, and he said he would give it me on my donder if I interfered.
1988 E. Prov. Herald 19 Mar. 2Why didn’t you give the donder (blighter) another shot while he was down?
b. bliksem noun sense b.
1920 F.C. Cornell Glamour of Prospecting 21‘You donder!’ I heard Du Toit snort (I found later his nose was badly bashed by a bucket). ‘I knew you didn’t tie the verdomte touw properly.’
1986 S. Sepamla Third Generation 129The major..towered over Solly and, screwing his mouth said: ‘Stand up! Stand up, donner!’
2. In the adjectival phrases the donder in, die donder in [Afrikaans, die the, in in], the hell in (see hell sense 2).
1978 Speak Vol.1 No.2, 55We get a theatre in Pretoria...Mother and Father Grundy were however alive and well and Die Donner in!
1978 S. Roberts in New Classic No.5, 24I felt the donder-in for my old friend...Ol’ Chris always used to be so full of loyalty for his language and his country.
Often in the phrase donder and bliksem [Afrikaans donder en bliksem literally ‘thunder and lightning’]:an expression of frustration or anger, equivalent to ‘confound it’, ‘blast’.
An abusive term; a ‘blighter’ or ‘bastard’.
In the adjectival phrases the donder in, die donder in [Afrikaans, die the, in in], the hell in (see hell sense 2).

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