swempi, noun

Forms:
schwempe, shrimpiShow more Also schwempe, shrimpi, shwimpi, swempe, swempie.
Origin:
IsiZulu, South African English, AfrikaansShow more From isiZulu inswempe (perhaps introduced into South African English via Afrikaans swempie).
The francolin Francolinus coqui of the Phasianidae, with yellowish head and heavily-barred black-and-white belly; bush-partridge sense (a), see partridge sense b; occasionally, the call of this bird.
1906 Blackwood’s Mag. (U.K.) Sept. 396Partridges, namaquas, and ‘shrimpies’ (a little partridge — a great delicacy)..were to be found everywhere.
1909 S. Afr. Field 30 July 141Coquifrancolin, generally known as the Swempi from the Zulu name, but corrupted into Shrimpi by some.
1912 Queenstown Rep. 10 July 7 (Pettman)I was riding with the front line of the advance guard near Zeerust, when a covey of shwimpi were flushed three or four times.
1948 A.C. White Call of Bushveld 230Swempis, to my mind, make the most delicious meal of all the game birds...One bird provides a nice meal for one person.
1970 O.P.M. Prozesky Field Guide to Birds of Sn Afr. 86Francolinus coqui...The smallest of the partridges, usually found in small coveys...Voice. A loud penetrating ‘Kwee-kit, kwee-kit’ or ‘Swem-pi, swem-pi’, can be heard throughout the day.
1971 Evening Post 12 June (Weekend Mag.) 1Among the indigenous types he breeds he particularly likes the little greywing partridge known in the Eastern Province as the ‘swempie’.
The francolin Francolinus coqui of the Phasianidae, with yellowish head and heavily-barred black-and-white belly; bush-partridge sense (a), see partridge sense b; occasionally, the call of this bird.
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19061971