gats, interjection
/xats/
- Forms:
- Show more Also gaats, gat, gattela, gits.
- Origin:
- AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, euphemistic substitute for God /xɔt/ God.
colloquial
An exclamation of dismay, disquiet, or annoyance, comparable to ‘hell’, ‘good God’; gots.
1919 R.Y. Stormberg With Love from Gwenno 57She made quite a brilliant ass of herself at the piano.., bawling away at some ballads which I couldn’t recognise for the badness of their rendition. Martin burst in with ‘Maar gits! you should just hear Miss Davis sing that song! Nobody can sing like wot she ken!’
1992 C.M. Knox tr. of E. Van Heerden’s Mad Dog 68A commotion broke out at the cage...‘He’s caught hold of Jock, oh gattela!’ Tattie looked round guiltily — I’d heard him sneakily egging Jock on to bark at the monkey.
An exclamation of dismay, disquiet, or annoyance, comparable to ‘hell’, ‘good God’; gots.
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