general dealer, noun phrase

Forms:
Also with initial capitals.
Origin:
EnglishShow more Now obsolete in general English.
1.
a. A merchant, often the owner of a rural, village, or township store, who carries a varied stock to meet the general needs of a community; negotie winkeler, see negotie sense 3. b. Such a store; negotie winkel, see negotie sense 3; winkel sense a. In both senses also called algemene handelaar. Also attributive. See also Indian shop (Indian adjective sense 2).
1832 Graham’s Town Jrnl 6 Apr. 58The Storekeeper is in the most extensive meaning of the term a general dealer; most of them, however, conduct their multifarious occupations in a business-like and creditable manner.
1843 Cape of G.H. Almanac & Annual RegisterStiglingh, Andries, general dealer, 40 roze-street...Clark, John, general dealer, 123 long-street...Clarence, Ralph, general dealer 60, (late 8) waterkant.
1870 George Advertiser 14 Apr. 4J.C. Truter, General Dealer Meade Street, George Town. Has always on hand, a well assorted stock of Staple and Fancy Goods.
1887 Act 38 in Stat. of Cape of G.H. (1906) 2506‘General dealer’ means any person who carries on the trade or business of selling, or offering or exposing for sale, barter or exchange any goods, wares or merchandise, not being the growth, produce, or manufacture of South Africa.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 481This word (sc. store) is in general use throughout South Africa, and is applied to the small shop of the general dealer as well as to the more pretentious buildings of the large wholesale firms.
1932 Grocott’s Daily Mail 12 Jan. 2Rudolf van der Meulen Mentz, general dealer, of Committees district.
1944 C.R. Prance Under Blue Roof 135The General Dealer, either in the dorp or on the outlying farm, sold tin candle-moulds, six in a block.
1955 Report of Commission for Socio-Economic Dev. of Bantu Areas (UG61–1955) 90The type of business undertaken by traders in the Bantu Areas is that of a typical general dealer’s store in a rural area, which stocks something of everything.
1966 L.G. Berger Where’s Madam 82As I passed the usual tumbledown general dealer’s store, I glimpsed a sign reading, ‘Self-helping Funeral Parlour’, with the window piled with a tumble of coffins.
1973 Y. Burgess Life to Live 38Oom Fred, whose shop was typical of General Dealers in that part of the world carried a wide range of goods: guns and grain, floral prints for Whites and tribal prints for the ‘kaffirs’, blankets and brooches, saucepans and saws, gadgets and groceries.
1974 H.J.J. Reynders in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. X. 546The general dealer’s store, offering various commodities (clothing, groceries, hardware and many more) and found particularly in the rural districts and in the suburbs of cities.
1982 Reader’s Digest Family Guide to Law 498Mr Kara carried on a tearoom business in one room and a general dealer’s business in an adjoining room...There were two doors leading directly between the tearoom and the general dealer shop.
1992 Sunday Times 14 June (Business Times) 3GST was difficult to enforce among general dealers in rural areas.
1994 House & Leisure Jan. 20In the small-town tradition of general dealers, owners Tania and Marty Reddering sell fashion, decor and lifestyle accessories.
2. Special collocation: general dealer’s licence in historical contexts, a licence required by a merchant operating a general dealer’s store.
1887 Act 38 in Stat. of Cape of G.H. (1906) 2506Sale of tonic bitters containing spirits under a general dealer’s or importer’s licence forbidden.
1925 E. Prov. Herald 22 July 7It was suggested that the minimum for the General Dealer’s licence should be reduced but objection to this was raised by the Cape and Free State.
1957 D. Jacobson Price of Diamonds 76He knew perfectly well who was going around spreading such stories about a man who had never had his general dealer’s licence revoked for any cause whatsoever.
1984 Farmer’s Weekly 13 Jan. 122 (advt)Café/Restaurant. Takeaway with General Dealers Licence for sale.
1987 Frontline Mar. 12Other licence problems emerge — operating a restaurant on a general dealer’s licence.
A merchant, often the owner of a rural, village, or township store, who carries a varied stock to meet the general needs of a community; negotie winkeler, see negotie sense 3.
Such a store; negotie winkel, see negotie sense 3; winkel sense a. In both senses also called algemene handelaar. Also attributive.
Special collocation: general dealer’s licencea licence required by a merchant operating a general dealer’s store.
Derivatives:
Hence general dealership  noun phrase, the business (or establishment) of a trader.
1993 Weekend Post 14 Aug. (Leisure) 4The general dealership, one of just two shops in the village, has been run by the same family for most of that time.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18321994

Derivatives

general dealership

Browse Related Words

By Category

Occupations
Economics and Commerce

By Origin

English

By Usage

historical
general affair, noun phrasen. phr.gentoo, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English