doppie, noun

/ˈdɔpi/
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, dop (see dop noun) + -ie.
1. A container.
a. A common term for a cartridge case; a percussion cap.
1897 H.A. Bryden Nature & Sport 19Some natives from the cattle-post here (Seruey) brought a quantity of new milk in the great Bechuana pitcher-like wooden vessels. They only required a few percussion-caps (‘doppies’) in exchange.
1958 A. Jackson Trader on Veld 39My first weapon was a single 12-bore muzzle-loading shotgun, complete with powder flask — the container for shot and percussion caps (doppies).
1961 D. Bee Children of Yesterday 16He had a collection of doppies (cartridge cases)...There were bright silver- and copper-coloured .22 doppies...Others were .303 and shotgun cartridge cases.
1972 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)Justin always smells the doppie the minute he clears the breach. He likes the way the gunpowder smell smokes into his nose.
1977 F.G. Butler Karoo Morning 223Taking an old .303 cartridge case or ‘doppie’, I filled it with the mixture.
1977 Fair Lady 16 Mar. 69One was wearing a camouflage cap and the other had a packet of doppies (cartridge cases) and they were playing with them.
1988 T.J. Lindsay Shadow (1990) 94He studied the expended cartridge cases scattered about the bodies. ‘These doppies were not fired here’ he said at last.
1989 Reader’s Digest Illust. Hist. of S. Afr. 488Doppie, Small shell or percussion cap; bullet casing.
1992 Weekly Mail 24 Apr. 3Two little boys also lay dead...‘There were many doppies (spent shotgun cartridges),’ said Mathonsi.
b. dop noun sense 1 b. Also attributive.
1948 Cape Times 24 Jan. (Weekend Mag.) 12 (advt)A Grape Crusher and two Wine and Doppies Pumps manufactured by Consani’s for the Wine Industry.
1955 J. Packer Valley of Vines 13If you fell into a tank among the doppies — the skins — and the wine, you died.
1963 J. Packer Home from Sea 24The white wine was made in closed tanks without the ‘doppies’ — the skins.
c. colloquial. Any container, shell, etc. Cf. dop noun sense 1 a.
1949 H.C. Bosman Cold Stone Jug (1969) 76A half-ounce ration of tobacco was divided into twenty ‘doppies’, each about the size of a smoke. And for five doppies I could get a small tin of hard fat smuggled in to me from the kitchen.
1972 Notice, Hout Bay (Western Cape)Rock Lobster doppies for sale.
1990 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)Please may I have the doppies from my pens in case they drop onto the floor and the dog chews them.
2. In the Western Cape: the carpenter, Argyrozona argyrozona.
Note:
Perhaps applied especially to the juvenile of the species.
1949 J.L.B. Smith Sea Fishes of Sn Afr. 278Argyrozona argyrozona...Silvervis. Silver Fish. Doppie (Cape)...At the Cape juveniles known as ‘Doppies’ are captured in large numbers and are believed by many to be a distinct species.
1958 L.G. Green S. Afr. Beachcomber 114Grain farmers gave their labourers fish for breakfast at harvest time, and doppies or hottentot and silver fish (sold in bunches of ten) served the purpose very well.
1972 L.G. Green When Journey’s Over 148Agmat made his own bokkems in the yard from the little silver fish known as doppies, from harders, marsbankers and elf.
1979 Snyman & Klarie Free from Sea 50Silver Fish, Doppie.
1986 Smith & Heemstra Smiths’ Sea Fishes 582At the Cape, juveniles known as ‘Doppies’ are believed by many to be a distinct species.
1993 R. Van der Elst Guide to Common Sea Fishes 336A few decades ago, bunches of these fish (sc. carpenter), known as ‘doppies’, were sold directly from the wharfside.
3. dop noun sense 3 a.
1950 E. Partridge Dict. of Underworld 199Doppie, A drink: South Africa (especially and orig. Afrikaans-speakers).
c1957 D. Swanson Highveld, Lowveld & Jungle 86Either we’ll get rain and live another year or we’ll all be damn-well finished. Let’s have another doppie.
1970 C.B. Wood Informant, Johannesburg, GautengHe gave me a ‘doppie’ (tot).
1971 Drum Mar. 16One Saturday night Klaas..felt like celebrating, and had a few extra doppies of his own.
1973 J. Cope Alley Cat 99A cup of coffee and a doppie brandy in it maybe, just a small one, to put heart into you.
1976 Farmer’s Weekly 28 Jan. 93Can’t a man sommer enjoy a little doppie at a braaivleis! I know how to take my drink.
1988 Adams & Suttner William Str. 49Ruby takes her doppie brandy, all her brothers come with and they all drunk..too.
A container.
A common term for a cartridge case; a percussion cap.
dop noun sense 1 b. Also attributive.
Any container, shell, etc.
the carpenter, Argyrozona argyrozona.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18971993

Browse Related Words

By Category

Weapons and Armaments
Viticulture

By Origin

Afrikaans

By Usage

colloquial
dopper, nounn.2doringboom, nounn.
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.