queen, noun2

colloquial. Elliptical for shebeen queen (see shebeen sense 2).
1948 A. Paton Cry, Beloved Country 35She is one of the queens, the liquor sellers.
c1948 H. Tracey Lalela Zulu 62There are many famous, or infamous, ‘queens’ of illicit bars in the Reef native townships.
1951 Drum Oct. 6Shebeens are run sometimes by Queens, sometimes by men, the Queens in Malay Camp and Fordsburg are mostly Europeans, who employ Africans as their assistants to sell the liquor.
1977 P.C. Venter Soweto 121The queens prefer to pay their house-rent six months in advance. Who needs a rent collector banging on the door when there are thirsty clients to be served?
1990 G. Slovo Ties of Blood 618She made her way through a Soweto in which rumours abounded: the shebeens had been raided and the queens fought back said one.
Elliptical for shebeen queen (see shebeen sense 2).
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19481990