voorbok, noun
- Plurals:
- voorbokke/ˈfʊə(r)bɔkə/.
- Origin:
- AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, voor in front + bok goat.
A goat used as a bell-wether to lead a flock of sheep. Also figurative, a leader; a ringleader. See also voorloper sense 2.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 540Voorbok,..A goat — Kapater..— is generally used on South African sheep farms, instead of a bell-wether as in England.
1976 Het Suid-Western 17 Nov.‘Riots voorbok’ is jailed for 18 months...The woman was described as one of the voorbokke of the riots and incited children to throw stones at white people’s cars.
A goat used as a bell-wether to lead a flock of sheep. Also figurative, a leader; a ringleader.
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