drilvis, noun

Forms:
drillvisch, drilvischShow more Also drillvisch, drilvisch, tril visch, trill visch, and with initial capital.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier South African Dutch drilvisch), dril or tril shiver, vibrate, tremble + vis fish.
1. Any of several species of fish belonging to a. the numbfish (family Narkidae); b. or the electric rays (family Torpedinidae).
1795 C.R. Hopson tr. of C.P. Thunberg’s Trav. I. 295The Raja torpedo too (called here Trill visch) was sometimes caught in the harbour, but not brought to table.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 153Drill-visch,..Astrape capensis, sometimes called the Electric fish; both names have reference to the power which this fish possesses of giving an electric or benumbing shock when touched.
1949 J.L.B. Smith Sea Fishes of Sn Afr. 73Torpedinidae, Electric Rays. Drilvis.
1968 J.L.B. Smith High Tide 35Kolb’s most entertaining account is that of the Drilvisch (electric ray). If a person touched or held this mysterious fish, he reports, he suffered terrible agony in all his limbs, especially in that holding the fish.
1971 R. Raven-Hart Cape G.H. 1652–1702 500Drilvis, Narke capensis, Torpedo marmorata..(‘Trillvis’).
2. obsolete. A jellyfish.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 515Tril Visch,..Jelly fish are known by this name in the Western Province Districts.
the numbfish (family Narkidae);
or the electric rays (family Torpedinidae).
A jellyfish.
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17951971