ghoen, noun

/ɡʊn/
Forms:
Also ghoon, goen.
Origin:
Afrikaans, MalayShow more Afrikaans, probably adaptation of Malay gundu marble.
In the language of children: a. A taw, the larger and more highly prized marble with which one shoots in a game of marbles. Cf. ironie. See also arlie. b. The stone which one throws in hopscotch. c. The stone or marble used in the game of giffie.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 187Ghoen,..The stone with which hop-scotch is played; the marble with which a boy shoots.
1958 R.E. Lighton Out of Strong 78The younger boys rode donkeys, played a quoit-like game with wagon washers, or pitched metal balls they called ghoens.
1958 I. Vaughan Diary 43We also play a lot of skipping and rounders and hop scotch...Many times we take off shoes and play with bare feet, which is easy for picking up the goen with your toes.
1970 F.G. Butler Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)Goen. A large marble, frequently a large steel ball bearing used for rolling yakkies out of court; or, in certain other games, a stone, or flat piece of metal, used for throwing at counters.
1973 Daily Dispatch 6 Nov. 7 (advt)Marbles for Africa 49c per bag (100 + 1 Goen).
1975 D. Woods in Cape Times 7 Feb. 12The illustrations..are most artistic. One showing a little girl hopping on to a square after her ‘ghoen’ has her hair tossing realistically.
1977 E. Prov. Herald 10 Feb. 1‘Five goes’ gives the shooter five throws, each with a small marble...A hit wins the goen or a substitute number of small marbles.
1982 T. Baron in Frontline Nov. 45All you needed was a flat stone for a ghoon and three holes in the ground. You threw your ghoon, first into the middle hole, then into the far hole and back again. Now you were giffie and you threw your ghoon..at your opponent’s ghoon.
1991 V. Warren Informant, Alberton, GautengGoon & allies. A large marble and small marbles...My goon hit six of his allies so I beat him.
A taw, the larger and more highly prized marble with which one shoots in a game of marbles.
The stone which one throws in hopscotch.
The stone or marble used in the game of giffie.
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childrens language
ghaap, nounn.ghomma, goema, nounn.
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