middelmannetjie, noun

/ˈməd(ə)lˌmanəki//ˈməd(ə)lˌmanəci/
Forms:
Also partial translation of middlemannetjie.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, middel middle + man man + diminutive suffix -ie.
The ridge or hump between the wheel-ruts of an unsurfaced road or farm track; middelman. Also transferred sense.
1934 Sunday Times 18 Feb. (Swart)There is a strong agitation on foot here to keep donkey transport off the Johannesburg-Lichtenburg road because the wagons cut it up to such an extent that, when cars try to follow in their tracks the axles catch on the ‘middel mannetjie’.
1936 C. Birkby Thirstland Treks 30While the off-side wheels ploughed deep, the near wheels churned over the middel-mannetjie, the hump between the scores.
1937 C. Birkby Zulu Journey 93Rain had eaten away huge ruts...There was a tall middelmannetjie that threatened sump and differential with disaster.
1965 J. Bennett Hawk Alone 207They were driving too fast along the narrow rutted road with its high sump-scraping middel-mannetjie.
1970 S. Sparks Informant, Fort Beaufort, Eastern CapeCitroens are built specifically to negotiate the ‘middelmannetjie’ on farm roads (the ridge between the 2 wheel tracks).
1971 A. Scholefield Young Masters 42The car..was moving gently along the pitted surface of a farm road, the long grass from the middelmannetjie swishing under the chassis.
1977 Farmer’s Weekly 24 Aug. 59Ground covers are ideal between stepping stones and as ‘middel mannetjie’ for the drive.
1985 Cape Times 20 JuneIt has a high clearance so is easy to drive on roads with high middlemannetjies.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 317She drove too fast along the grassy road that ran through the trees, not caring that the car was scraping on the middelmannetjie.
1989 M. Palmer in Grocott’s Mail 21 Mar. 1The Bedford tarred road is breaking up to such a degree that it needs a grader to get rid of the ‘middelmannetjie’.
1989 J. Metcalf in Edgars Club July 11Our chassis bottomed out on the middlemannetjie.
1991 Sunday Times 10 Mar. (Mag. Sect.) 2The new Nissan Hi Rider. Designed around the middel-mannetjie.
1991 O. Oberholzer in Time 29 July 29Lesotho was better than I expected. Lots of tracks with ‘middelmannetjies’. (The bit in the middle where grass sometimes grows.)
The ridge or hump between the wheel-ruts of an unsurfaced road or farm track; middelman. Also transferred sense.
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Afrikaans
middelman, nounn.middelskot, nounn.
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