‖opsaal, verb intransitive

/ˈɔpsɑːl/
Forms:
Also opzaal.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier South African Dutch opzaal), to saddle up.
Note:
Usually in the imperative.
1. ‘Saddle up’, often as an exhortation to hasten. See also upsaddle sense 2.
1916 E.H. Spender General Botha 95 (Swart)‘Opsaal Burghers’ was the cry before the first grey streaks of light on the eastern horizon.
1929 D. Reitz Commando 216 (Swart)We had scarcely slaughtered a few sheep and broken our fast, when the well-known cry of ‘Opsaal! Opsaal!’ sent us scurrying to fetch our unfortunate animals.
[1931 G. Beet Grand Old Days 44From afar the sight of it to the watchful Boer commandant was indeed ‘terrible as an army with banners.’ He turned pale and at once passed the word to ‘opsaal ’n huis toe!’]
1937 H. Klein Stage Coach Dust 205That night Alexander passed the word round to ‘inspan’ and ‘opsaal’, and with all their kit and gear the little commando took the road.
1963 S. Cloete Rags of Glory 365‘Opzaal!’ Saddle up! The Khakis are here!
2. Transferred and figurative senses. ‘Let’s get moving!’; frequently in the phrase opsaal boere, ‘prepare (boere)’, used as a political rallying cry among Afrikaner people.
1965 D. Marais Ag, Sis Man! (cartoon)Opsaal Kêrels! I don’t mind boycotts and cancelled contracts, but when Wilson starts interfering with the Boer and his roer — that’s too much!
c1967 J. Hobbs in New S. Afr. Writing 68He got into his truck so tense with rage that the starter knob came away in his fist and we all had to push. Muttering ‘Opsaal!’ under his breath, he let in the clutch and roared off down the road.
1972 Sunday Times 12 Mar. 4We Nats are in a bad way. Day and night I go out into the veld shouting ‘Opsaal, Boere!’ But no matter how hard I shout, there is not a Boer to answer op my roepstem.
1975 Friend 10 July 6Like those grizzly Boer guerrillas of 75 years ago, some 40 Afrikaans writers — many as well-haired and bearded as their forebears — are gathering in the bush at Broederstroom to ‘opsaal’ and take to the warpath.
1975 Sunday Times 27 July 20Opsaal! To the cry of ‘opsaal boere, the bulldozer cometh,’ verligte and verkrampte joined hands..in defence of Church Square.
1990 D. Van Heerden in Sunday Times 10 June 8When ET brings his silver-tongued oratory to town everybody on the right wing will cheer him wildly. And when Oom Manie Maritz shouts ‘Opsaal’, those who can will.
‘Saddle up’, often as an exhortation to hasten.
‘Let’s get moving!’; frequently in the phrase opsaal boere, ‘prepare (boere)’, used as a political rallying cry among Afrikaner people.
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figurative or allusive
ops, verbv.opsit, nounn.
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