tula, verb intransitive

/ˈtuːlə//ˈtʊla/
Forms:
thula, tolaShow more Also thula, tola, toola, toula.
Origin:
From the Nguni languages, in which it has the form thula.
Usually imperative. ‘Be quiet’; ‘hush’; ‘shut up’.
1884 ‘E.V.C.’ Promised Land 85Nugget was undoubtedly getting the worst of it, we quickly dressed and jumping out of the wagon, shouted ‘Toula, Toula,’ meaning ‘dry up’.
1899 G.H. Russell Under Sjambok 81‘Toola!’ (silence) I hissed, as I thrust my revolver barrel within an inch of his face.
1908 D. Blackburn Leaven 138A burst of hysterical laughter..brought the warder to the door shouting ‘Tula!’ (Silence!)
1930 S.T. Plaatje Mhudi (1975) 47Several voices already interjected, Tula (keep quiet), for the crowd had heard enough.
1952 F.J. Edmonstone Where Mists Still Linger 14Even we smaller ones would be told to ‘Tula’ if we spoke out of turn.
1964 G. Gordon Four People 116‘Thula!’ shouted Gus, truning round quickly and then as if to show the attendant — in case he did not understand the Xhosa word — where his own sympathies lay, followed it up with the English equivalent, ‘Shut up!’
1971 The 1820 Vol.43 No.10, 11English as she is spoke — Toola = Belt up!
[1976 R.L. Peteni Hill of Fools 21‘Mamtolo, thula!’ said Dakada sharply. ‘I’m handling this.’]
1980 A. Fugard Tsotsi 41The baby..was crying again...He went to the bed and bending low over the puffed-up knob of a head shouted: ‘Tula!’ and then a second time, much louder, shaking the mattress with his hands.
1990 Pace May 2Thula, come duze and listen to this juicy one.
1992 J. Raphaely in Femina June 6Nothing will stop a mother singing to her children...But as soon as they leave the tula tula baba stage the unmusical mama would be well advised to revert to the spoken word.
Usually imperative.‘Be quiet’; ‘hush’; ‘shut up’.
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18841992
tuk-tuk, nounn.Tulbagh, nounn.
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