voerchitz, noun

/ˈfuːrsəts//ˈfuːrʃəts/
Forms:
forcet, forcetsShow more Also forcet, forcets, voerces, voerchits, voerschitz, voersits, voorchits, voorchitz, vorcet, vorcets, vorchitz, vorsect.
Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more Adaptation of South African Dutch voersis, voersies, from Dutch voeren to line + sits chintz.
obs. except in historical contexts
a. noncount A printed cotton fabric imported during the 19th century and sold usually in ‘gown-pieces’ (dress-lengths). b. Plural unchanged, or voerchitzen. A length of this fabric. Also attributive. See also German print (German).
1831 S. Afr. Almanac & Dir.Bleached and unbleached linen, India and other Voorchits, Muslins, Cambric.
1832 Graham’s Town Jrnl 27 June 104For Sale...English and India Voerchitz.
1833 Graham’s Town Jrnl 7 Mar. 1Just Received, and for Sale at very reduced prices...Fine and coarse Voerchits.
1841 Cape of G.H. Almanac & Annual Register 387Who among us does not remember the frontier boer of 1820, barefoot and clad in sheepskins, his wife covered (not dressed) in voerchitz.
1846 in A.G. Bain Jrnls (1949) 201When drest up in my voersits pak, What hearts will then be undone, Should I but show my face or back, Among the beaux of London.
1851 J.F. Churchill Diary. (Killie Campbell Africana Library MS37) 13–17 MayBusiness pretty brisk at Maritzburg with the Overberg Traders...Today 17th cleared out of Blue Moleskins, White Calico & Voerchits.
1863 Queenstown Free Press 24 Feb.They charge 7s 6d for a voerchitz.
[a1868 J. Ayliff Jrnl of ‘Harry Hastings’ (1963) 82For this sum, Mr. Thomas took half hide pole leathers Rds. 13. a piece of gown stuff called by the Dutch ‘fusser’ for Rds. 8.]
1868 J. Chapman Trav. I. 10Orleans and alpaca cloths, voerschits, and other articles of clothing..generally meet the requirements of the market.
1896 M.A. Carey-Hobson At Home in Tvl 335He..had been doing a good business, both with Boers and English farmers — taking their farm produce..and supplying in return coffee, tea, sugar, and calicoes, moleskin for the men’s wear, and baftas and voerchitz (prints) for the women.
1920 K.M. Jeffreys tr. of Memorandum of Commissary J.A. de Mist 244Voerchitzen, ginghams, and all sorts of coarse calicoes, bleached and unbleached.
1956 V.M. Fitzroy Dark Bright Land 63The women in voerchitz and coarse cotton stuffs from India.
A printed cotton fabric imported during the 19th century and sold usually in ‘gown-pieces’ (dress-lengths).
A length of this fabric. Also attributive.
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voëlvry, adjectiveadj.voetganger, nounn.
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