‖tjaile, verb intransitive

/ˈtʃaɪlə//tʃaˈiːla/
Forms:
chiela, chilaShow more Also chiela, chila, tjaila.
Origin:
IsiXhosa, isiZulu, SetswanaShow more Adaptation of isiXhosa -tshayile, isiZulu -shayile, or Setswana -chaile (perfective forms of the verbs tshaya, shaya and chaya finish, complete) finished.
To stop work, particularly at the end of the day; as a signal, ‘stop work’.
1970 Informant, Pietersburg (now Polokwane)Tjaile. Finish up with work.
1970 M. Bennett Informant, KrugersdorpChiela. Down tools, finish work for the day.
1972 Beeton & Dorner in Eng. Usage in Sn Afr. Vol.3 No.1, 37Tjaila,..to stop working, either for the lunch break or at the end of the working day.
1990 R. Malan My Traitor’s Heart 32At one o’clock, my uncle shouted, ‘chila’, African for knock off.
To stop work, particularly at the end of the day; as a signal, ‘stop work’.
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tjaile, nounn.tjoepstil, adjectiveadj.
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