voorloper, noun
- Forms:
- Show more Also voerlooper, voorloeper, voor-loopa, voorlooper, voorlouper, vorlooper.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans, earlier South African Dutch, from Dutch voor front, fore + looper walker.
1. In historical contexts. The person (usually a young boy) who walks with the foremost pair of a team of draught oxen in order to guide them; fore-louper; leader; touleier.
1837 J.E. Alexander Narr. of Voy. I. 323A long wagon would pass.., drawn by a span of ten or fourteen oxen under the guidance of a voorlooper, a brown boy, holding occasionally a small rope attached to the horns of the leading bullocks.
1990 Weekend Post 5 May 10As everybody knows, a voorloper is practically white man’s work. A voorloper also walks ahead of the oxen, but he doesn’t have to hold a rope.
2. Transferred and figurative senses. One who goes ahead, a fore-runner, in various specific senses, as: a pioneer; Voortrekker noun sense 1; a scout, moving ahead of the main body of troops; an animal leading a flock (see also voorbok); the leader of a Cape Malay carnival troupe; a small diamond found before one of substantial size is discovered.
1878 A. Aylward Tvl of Today 18The Boers coming from the Cape Colony naturally sought in their new homes the peculiar features that have made the old ones pleasant...These the ‘Voorloopers’ did not find on the Highveld.
1990 Weekend Post 5 May 10If the Conservative Party ever gains power, the coloured people of South Africa can look forward to being voorlopers. This enticing prospect was held out..yesterday.
The person (usually a young boy) who walks with the foremost pair of a team of draught oxen in order to guide them; fore-louper; leader; touleier.
One who goes ahead, a fore-runner, in various specific senses, as: a pioneer; Voortrekker noun sense 1; a scout, moving ahead of the main body of troops; an animal leading a flock (see also voorbok); the leader of a Cape Malay carnival troupe; a small diamond found before one of substantial size is discovered.
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