voetsak, noun
/ˈfʊtsæk/
- Forms:
- Also feusack, etc.
- Origin:
- From voetsak verb.
1. An utterance of the word ‘voetsak’. Also figurative.
1881 P. Gillmore Land of Boer 106Imp, with his confounded feusack and a sjambok, hustled the dogs out from under the wagon.
1990 J. Naidoo Coolie Location 153I mean she’s really a civilized chick. You know,..no blerrys, no voetseks, [etc.].
2. colloquial. Especially in the phrases the year voetsak and 19-voetsak: very long ago, ‘the year dot’; an indeterminate time.
1971 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)‘Have you ever been to Intervarsity?’ ‘Yes of course, but that was in the year voetsak.’
1991 J. Rist Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)We’re also strong Methodists — we go back to voetsak, you know.