‖goëlery, noun
- Forms:
- Also goelery, goolery.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, ‘sorcery’ (adaptation of Dutch goochelarij conjuring, prestidigitation).
Sorcery, especially Malay magic (see Malay noun sense 3). See also slamaaier sense 2.
1944 I.D. Du Plessis Cape Malays 76The average Malay, while sometimes believing in and fearing ‘Malay tricks’, is as ignorant of these practices as the European;..while tales of ‘goelery’ abound, the exact methods adopted remain a closely guarded secret, known only to the initiated few.
1993 D. Berry on TV1, 23 Feb. (Good Morning South Africa)It’s enough to make you think of goëlery.
Sorcery, especially Malay magic (see Malay noun sense 3).
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