karee, noun2
- Forms:
- Show more Also caree, kari, karré, karrée, karree, karrie, kharee.
- Origin:
- KhoikhoiShow more Adaptation of Khoikhoi karré-, care-, kare-, caree-, karree-, or carru- (in Koranna, !gare-b).
1.
a.
i. In full karee tree, occasionally karee wood: any of several evergreen trees of the genus Rhus of the Anacardiaceae, but particularly R. lancea, an evergreen tree with lance-shaped leaves, small berries, and gnarled trunk (resembling a willow), and less frequently R. viminalis; kareeboom; kareehout sense b. Also attributive. See also rosyntjiebos sense (b) (rosyntjie sense 2).
1802 W. Somerville Narr. of E. Cape Frontier (1979) 77The banks are cloathed with wood, but only along the margin of the river, chiefly willow and Karee wood.
1991 H. Hutchings in Weekend Post 23 Feb. (Leisure) 7Rhus lancea (karee) makes an attractive shade tree.
ii. In full karee wood: the timber of any of these trees; kareehout sense a.
1802 Truter & Somerville in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1899) IV. 403We immediately cut a new one (sc. beam) of caree wood.
1984 S. Afr. Panorama Feb. 36During the ostrich feather boom thousands of karee fencing poles were cut on the banks of the Buffels River..and sold to wealthy ostrich farmers in the Little Karoo.
b. In full karee bush: i. The fodder shrub Rhus ciliata; suurkaree (see sense 2). ii. The shrub Rhus viminalis. In both senses also called kareebos (see sense 3).
1815 A. Plumptre tr. of H. Lichtenstein’s Trav. in Sn Afr. II. 223Mimosas,..willows, and karree bushes. Among the latter the colonists include several sorts of rhus.
1992 A.B. Muller Informant, Graaff-ReinetKarree bush is that low, grey bush. It smells horrible, but the sheep love to eat it. It is what gives Karoo mutton its special flavour.
3. combinations
karee-berry, kareebessie /-ˌbesi/ [Afrikaans, bessie berry], the berry of the karee tree, used to make alcoholic drinks;
1947 H.C. Bosman Mafeking Rd (1969) 122It was good mampoer, made from karee-berries that were plucked when they were still green and full of thick sap.
any of several evergreen trees of the genus Rhus of the Anacardiaceae, but particularly R. lancea, an evergreen tree with lance-shaped leaves, small berries, and gnarled trunk (resembling a willow), and less frequently R. viminalis; kareeboom; kareehout sense b. Also attributive.
the timber of any of these trees; kareehout sense a.
The fodder shrub Rhus ciliata; suurkaree (see sense 2).
The shrub Rhus viminalis. In both senses also called kareebos (see sense 3).
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