papbroek, noun

/ˈpa(p)brʊk//ˈpa(p)bruk/
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, pap soft, flabby + broek trousers, pants.
colloquial
A weakling; a spineless person or coward. Also attributive. See also bangbroek, pap adjective sense b.
[1934 Week-End Advertiser 12 May (Swart)The Afrikaans expression, ‘Papbroek’, is not without its significance in test match rugby, especially on one’s initial appearance.]
1937 C.R. Prance Tante Rebella’s Saga 179Boys will be boys, and none liked to be called ‘pap-broek’ or nincompoop, so there was soon a lot of money and ‘Good-For’ in the pool.
1968 F.G. Butler Cape Charade 10It takes a lot to make Klaas drunk. He’s not a papbroek to get drunk on nothing.
1973 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)He’s such a helluva papbroek no one wants him in the house team.
1975 S. Roberts Outside Life’s Feast 85He was a miner an’ a real papbroek but I was sorry for him.
1982 Sunday Times 28 Mar. 44Diplomatically, I say: ‘Gerrie will win.’ ‘No’ he answers, ‘he’s a “papbroek”’.
1994 Sunday Times 27 Nov. 5The AWB would do the job if the ‘papbroek’ government..did not act within 30 days.
A weakling; a spineless person or coward. Also attributive.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19341994

Browse Related Words

By Category

Titles and Modes of Address

By Origin

Afrikaans

By Usage

colloquial
papa, nounn.papegaai, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English