ID, noun

/aɪ ˈdiː/
Forms:
Also I.D.
Origin:
EnglishShow more Initial letters of Identity Document. Cf. general English ID ‘identification’, ‘identity (card)’ (OED).
colloquial
An identity document initially issued (in terms of the Population Registration Act of 1950) to White, Coloured, and Asian people only, but which, in 1986, became the identity document for all South Africans. Cf. Book of Life.
1976 M. Tholo in C. Hermer Diary of Maria Tholo (1980) 159All African families have a few strange relatives. Gus’s are no exception. Half of them are passing for coloured. Gus and his two brothers carry passes but his sisters and two other brothers have I.D.’s.
1986 Grocott’s Mail 15 July 1The first black man to receive an identity document in the Eastern Cape in terms of the Population Identification Act of 1986 which replaced the old passbook for blacks was handed to Mr Mvuselelo Lawrence Dyibishe...Mr Bristow said he hoped the relationship between Mr Dyibishe and his new ID would be better than his relationship with his old passbook.
1986 Rhodeo (Rhodes Univ.) Aug. 13Students from Durban’s Lamontville High were barred from entering the school premises after they had burnt their IDs.
1986 ‘Joseph’ in New Nation 17 July 11I am one of those people who needs the common ID. As a citizen of Bophuthatswana I would therefore like to know whether I will be allowed to have it?
1987 Pace Nov. 14The new ID may be the same as that carried by white, Indian and coloured South Africans but it does not entitle blacks to work and live where they want.
1994 P. Bauer Informant, SpringsA question often asked when one visits a Bank or Post Office or some other institution where identification is required: ‘Have you got your ID?’
An identity document initially issued (in terms of the Population Registration Act of 1950) to White, Coloured, and Asian people only, but which, in 1986, became the identity document for all South Africans.
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ibutho, nounn.Idasa, nounn.
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