huisbesoek, noun

/ˈhœɪsbəsuk/
Forms:
Formerly also huisbezoek, huisbezoeking.
Plurals:
huisbesoeks, huisbesoeke/ˈhœɪsbəsukə/.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans, earlier South African Dutch huisbezoek (from Dutch huisbezoeking), huis house, home + besoek visit.
1. Parish or district visiting by clergy; a house call by a doctor or teacher. Also attributive.
1824 W.J. Burchell Trav. II. 154Four times a year, he undertook journeys through his district..for the convenience and instruction of those whom distance prevented from coming to the church. These pastoral visits were called huisbezoekings, or domiciliary visitations.
1927 C.G. Botha Social Life in Cape Col. 77Periodically the minister accompanied by one of his elders or deacons, went on ‘huisbezoek’ or visitation amongst the congregation.
a1951 H.C. Bosman in L. Abrahams Unto Dust (1963) 122Even if this huisbesoek was not part of my after-school duties, I would have gone and visited the parents in any case.
1955 I. Abrahams in Saron & Hotz Jews in S. Afr. 18He paid pastoral visits, often in connection with a local religious celebration...The Jews living in the platteland were deeply appreciative of this huisbesoek.
1957 L.G. Green Beyond City Lights 218Hofmeyr was also a skilful amateur doctor, and while on huisbesoek he extracted many a tooth.
1965 C. Van Heyningen Orange Days 9He came home from a ‘huisbesoek’ journey (visiting his flock).
1967 L. Marquard in M. Marquard Lett. from Boer Parsonage 24Since his parishioners did not often come to town it was natural that the minister should spend much time travelling to visit them. This was called huisbezoek.
1975 W.M. Macmillan My S. Afr. Yrs 132Pastoral visitation (huisbesoek)..was a highly organized duty: families in the outlying districts were duly notified of the intended visit, and woe betide anyone who failed to muster the whole family for this solemn occasion.
1989 F.G. Butler Tales from Old Karoo 12He was hiding from the Dominee who’d come on a couple of hours’ huisbesoek.
2. House-to-house canvassing by political party workers or election candidates. Also attributive.
1948 George & Knysna Herald 1The two candidates — have both made themselves widely known by way of public meetings and ‘huisbesoek.’
1970 Evening Post 3 Oct. 3The United Party feels it is having far greater success with the ‘huisbesoek’ method in its Provincial Council election campaign...Mr Rossouw said: ‘You don’t convince anyone at meetings...My people are busy doing “huisbesoek” and I don’t want to take them off it.’
1972 Argus 26 Feb. 1Nationalist predictions were based on huisbesoek figures and records kept by party workers at the polls.
1977 Sunday Times 30 Oct. 12Political huisbesoek can be a hazardous business — particularly if almost every house in the constituency has a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign.
1980 Cape Times 9 July 9The Progressive Federal Party’s candidate..re-emerged from the farmhouse, shaven and showered and in the ‘huisbesoek’ suit that had taken the place of his farming gear.
Parish or district visiting by clergy; a house call by a doctor or teacher. Also attributive.
House-to-house canvassing by political party workers or election candidates. Also attributive.
Derivatives:
Hence (nonce) huisbesoek  intransitive verb, to pay a pastoral visit.
1955 W. Illsley Wagon on Fire 183I ‘huisbesoek’ (pay pastoral calls) on the farms.
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18241989

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huisbesoek, v.

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huis-apotheek, nounn.huisgodsdiens, nounn.
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