grysbok, noun

/ˈxreɪsbɔk/
Forms:
greisbock, greisbokShow more Also greisbock, greisbok, greiseboke, greysbok, griesbock, griesbok, grijsbok, gruisbok, grysbock.
Plurals:
unchanged, grysboks, or grysbokke /ˈxreɪsˌbɔkə/.
Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more South African Dutch, from Dutch grijs grey, grizzled + bok (see bok).
Either of two species of small antelope of the Bovidae, both reddish brown in colour with a sprinkling of white hairs, and with large ears and (in the male) straight pointed horns, especially Raphicerus melanotis (now often with distinguishing epithet, Cape grysbok) but also R. sharpei (Sharpe’s grysbok). Also attributive, and in dimunitive form grysbokkie [see -ie]. In both senses also called grysbuck.
1786 G. Forster tr. of A. Sparrman’s Voy. to Cape of G.H. II. 224The grys-bok is of a greyish colour, with black ears, and a large black spot round the eyes, being probably the A. Grimmia.
1790 tr. of F. Le Vaillant’s Trav. I. 33The most common..are the steenbock, the duyker, the reebock, the grysbock, the bontebock, and all the different species of antelopes.
1804 R. Percival Acct of Cape of G.H. 159The gries-bock is..the size of a common deer, but bears a considerable resemblance to a goat: its colouring is greyish and the hair loose and frizzled. This species..does a great deal of mischief to the gardens and vineyards in the nighttime.
1810 G. Barrington Acct of Voy. 156The Greisbok is of a grizzled or greyish colour,..bright brown interspersed with silver hairs.
1837 ‘N. Polson’ Subaltern’s Sick Leave 123On the coast side of the Langekloof the grysbok is the commonest species of small antelope.
1859 Wood Nat. Hist. I. 643The Grys-bok..is a native of Southern Africa [etc.].
1872 C.A. Payton Diamond Diggings 81Last Sunday we bought from some Kafir boys a doe grysbok, rather bigger, reddish brown, with silvery hairs here and there, for 2s.
1885 W. Greswell in Macmillan’s Mag. (U.K.) Feb. 280The little greisbok that has continually been nibbling his vines.
1900 W.L. Sclater Mammals of S. Afr. I. 178The grysbok is also found in open country, but only where there is plenty of cover and shelter.
1938 F.C. Slater Trek 25In the grey And unrecording scrub the grysbok lies.
1958 L.G. Green S. Afr. Beachcomber 24Oom Stoffel shot a grysbok on his first visit there.
1969 M.W. Spilhaus Doorstep-Baby 141A rare leopard still hid in the ravines hunting grysbok and duiker.
1975 Sunday Times 8 June (Mag. Sect.) 7I tried to persuade dad to control the Grysbokke on our mountain slopes.
1976 Farmer’s Weekly 28 Jan. 70It would be impossible, without..hunting hounds, to flush..a gruisbokkie from the thick bush-clad areas.
1976 J. Hanks Mammals 23Sharpe’s Grysbok, Raphicerus sharpei...White hairs in a background coat of rich rufous brown.
1976 J. Hanks Mammals 24Cape Grysbok, Raphicerus melanotis. Small antelope.
1982 S. Afr. Digest 8 Jan. 1Mr..Wright’s Alsatian bitch..has adopted this orphaned grysbokkie.
1983 E. Prov. Herald 3 June 1A tiny, one kilogram Cape grysbok which he rescued from certain death.
1987 T.F.J. Van Rensburg Intro. to Fynbos 52The grysbok is totally dependent on the fynbos for survival.
1990 Weekend Post 24 Mar. 3The shy grysbok ram..will also stay.
1990 Clinning & Fourie in Fauna & Flora No.47, 16After emerging from a forest patch into an area of drier scrub one may encounter..the Sharpe’s grysbok, Raphicerus sharpei.
1992 J. Feely in Afr. Wildlife Vol.46 No.4, 155The Cape grysbok..has traditionally been assumed to occur from the south-western Cape eastwards to the Komga district on the border with Transkei...Sharpe’s grysbok..— sometimes called the tropical grysbok — is found from Tanzania southwards to Swaziland and the north-eastern Transvaal.
1992 J. Feely in Afr. Wildlife Vol.46 No.4, 157I was..most interested to see a shepherd carrying a knapsack made from grysbok skin in the Drakensberg foothills in the Maclear district.
Either of two species of small antelope of the Bovidae, both reddish brown in colour with a sprinkling of white hairs, and with large ears and (in the male) straight pointed horns, especially Raphicerus melanotis (now often with distinguishing epithet, Cape grysbok) but also R. sharpei (Sharpe’s grysbok). Also attributive, and in dimunitive form grysbokkie [see -ie]. In both senses also called grysbuck.
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grysappel, nounn.grysbuck, nounn.
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