sinkings, noun

/ˈsəŋkəŋs/
Forms:
sinkens, zinkingsShow more Also sinkens, zinkings, zinkins.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier South African Dutch zinking, zinkings), from Dutch zinking an excessive flow of blood, serum, etc., to any part of the body.
obs. except in historical contexts, Pathology
Neuralgia; tooth-ache; rheumatism. See also zinkingsdruppels (druppels sense b i).
1823 W.W. Bird State of Cape of G.H. 176There is a rheumatic affection called the Sinkings, which shows in swellings, (lucus a non lucendo,) and is painful.
1832 Graham’s Town Jrnl 12 Jan. 11It gives me some satisfaction to find a clause in the regulations, which allows copious ablutions to such of [the Temperance Society’s] members as may be troubled with the Cholic, the Sinkens, Low-spirits, and Nausia.
1835 J.W.D. Moodie Ten Yrs in S. Afr. II. 33‘What is the matter with your head?’ I now asked him, perceiving that it was wrapped up in a piece of dirty flannel pinned under the chin. — ‘Ach! mynheer, I am sorely troubled with the zinkins,’ (a kind of rheumatism common in the colony,) answered my now defendant.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 64I found Taylor laid up with severe pains in the face, called zinkins in the Cape, arising from cold.
1844 J. Backhouse Narr. of Visit 84The changeableness of the temperature in spring and autumn renders a kind of rheumatism common, which is here called ‘sinkings’.
1859 Argus in V. De Kock Fun They Had (1955) 93His under jaw is at once contracted and swollen painfully, and gives unmistakable indications that the noble animal is suffering from a severe attack of zinkens.
1861 P.B. Borcherds Auto-Biog. Mem. 140The sudden variation of temperature..is apt to produce..tic doloureux, known in the colonial language by the name of ‘zinkings’.
1866 Cape Town Dir. (advt)Zinkings or Face-ache. Calf’s Antifebrile Lotion is the speediest alleviator, 1s. 6d. per bottle.
1873 W.L. Sammons in A.M.L. Robinson Sel. Articles from Cape Monthly Mag. (1978) 261The sufferer seemed to be for ages labouring under some unspeakable toothache, mumps, zinkings (? risings), or lock-jaw.
1887 A.A. Anderson 25 Yrs in Waggon I. 69They are always getting what they call sinkings (neuralgia).
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 444Sinkings,..Toothache and neuralgia are often spoken of by this name, as is also an acute form of rheumatism.
1979 Scope 20 July 24Her health was fine, Ouma said. She was only troubled by the ‘sinkings’ an obsolete Afrikaans word for neuralgia or rheumatic pains, which I had last heard mentioned as a child.
Neuralgia; tooth-ache; rheumatism.
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