verlep, adjective

/fə(r)ˈlep/
Forms:
Also verlept.
Origin:
Afrikaans.
colloquial
Faded, wilted. Also figurative.
1971 M.E. Greenblo Informant, Cape Town, Western CapeThe poor chicken — what she didn’t do to it! By the time she’d finished cleaning it it was verlep.
1971 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)You started off with great vigour but at the end you sounded — well, all I can say is, ‘verlep’.
1973 M.G. McCoy Informant, Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), Eastern CapeI’ve made marmalade! June bought me Rex Union oranges...They were a bit verlep so I added some of your lemons & it has jelled beautifully.
1978 P. Branford Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)The lettuces don’t look edible — they’re pretty verlep.
1982 I.H. Klevansky Kugel Book 7Doll, the steak looks terrible tonight. Ja, and what about those slup chips? The salads look a bit verlept too!
1990 C. Maxwell Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)The carnation is getting a bit verlep so now I have to hang it upside down to dry.
1991 K. Sullivan Informant, Cape Town, Western CapeMy plants are all verlep after the heat today.
Faded, wilted. Also figurative.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19711991
verkyker, nounn.verlig, adjectiveadj.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English