uitspan, verb

Origin:
DutchShow more Dutch; see outspan verb.
obs.
1. intransitive. outspan verb sense 2 a.
1819 G. Barker Journal. 23 Jan.Uitspanned in the Quaggers vlakte this evening.
1820 W. Shaw Diary. 5 JuneHere we uitspan’d as it is termed i.e. the oxen were turned out to graze in the valley and its surrounding hills — while we employed ourselves in cutting wood, making a fire — and preparing food.
1829 C. Rose Four Yrs in Sn Afr. 156A Kaffer returned to his own country from Cape Town..told his tale to the dark group around him, describing the wonders of a ship, which he called ‘a waggon that moved upon the waters, and that never uitspan’d’ (unyoked).
1833 Graham’s Town Jrnl 20 June 2Having uitspanned at the latter river the party proceeded out in different directions in quest of game.
1872 ‘Z.’ in Cape Monthly Mag. V. Oct. 230We shall be ready enough not only to ‘inspan’ or ‘uitspan’ according to circumstances, but we shall order our driver, when the horses are flagging and stomachs importunate, to look out for a nice ‘uitspan.’
c1936 S. & E. Afr. Yr Bk & Guide 37The following Afrikaans words are in general use throughout the country..Uitspan, to unharness, to halt [etc.].
2. transitive. outspan verb sense 1 b.
1882 C. Du Val With Show through Sn Afr. I. 60Some wonderful words have been manufactured in Southern Africa..‘Inspan’, and its reverse, ‘Outspan’ — or, to be more correct, ‘Uitspan’ — simply means the harnessing or yoking in of any draught animal or team, and the unyoking.
1891 W. Selwyn Cape Carols 2How grateful the halt near the bush-margined stream where ‘uitspanned,’ our hungry and sweltering team lave their hot dusty hoofs.
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18191936

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obsolete or obsolescent
uitspan, nounn.uitvalgrond, nounn.
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