voorslag, noun

/ˈfʊə(r)slax/
Forms:
forslat, voerslaagShow more Formerly also forslat, voerslaag, voerslag, voorshlag, voor slach.
Origin:
South African Dutch, Afrikaans, DutchShow more South African Dutch (later Afrikaans), from Dutch voor front + slag lash (of a whip).
1. A fine strip of antelope hide forming the end of a whiplash; foreslock. Cf. agterslag.
1833 Graham’s Town Jrnl 4 Apr. 3He..took his whip and in endeavouring to frighten them began using the ‘voor slach’ of the whip; finding this ineffectual, he took the butt end of the whip stick.
1852 C. Barter Dorp & Veld 43Putting a new voorslag (lash) to the wagon-whip, that its smack might be clear and loud.
1883 M.A. Carey-Hobson Farm in Karoo 71Wild deer skin, prepared and softened by much manipulation for cutting into narrow thongs to be used as whip-lashes or ‘voerslaags’.
1907 J.P. Fitzpatrick Jock of Bushveld 226They used to say he could kill a fly on the front ox or on the toe of his own boot with the voorslag of his big whip.
1919 M.M. Steyn Diary 49Deftly catch the ‘voorslag’ as the lash coiled back, by a turn of the wrist, round the whiphandle!
1925 S.G. Cronwright-Schreiner in F.C. Slater Centenary Bk of S. Afr. Verse 62Let the voorslag’s crack resound...Let the Whip with its lightning crack Startle the buck from its lair in the kloof.
1937 H. Sauer Ex Afr. 193The long lash ends in two shorter pieces, tapering to points and called the achter-slag and the voor-slag, the latter being the terminal section of the whip...When a whip is properly handled, the achter-slag, and even more the voor-slag, inflicts the punishment on the victim and produces the rolling and cracking sound which can be heard at a distance of several miles.
1944 J. Mockford Here Are S. Africans 65The driver wielded a gigantic whip — a long bamboo, tapering like a fishing rod from thick base to slender tip, to which was laced a still longer rawhide thong ending in a spliced on voorslag or lash.
1948 V.M. Fitzroy Cabbages & Cream 159It was the voorslag at the end [of the whip], so we learned, that was responsible for that glorious resounding crack, like a shot from a gun.
1968 G. Croudace Silver Grass 152The lash whipped back its lace-thin voorslag, flicking a droplet of blood on to Jeremy’s cheek.
1986 W. Steenkamp Blake’s Woman 130Although she had not handled a wagon-whip for years it did exactly what she required of it. The ‘voorslag’, or popper, snaked out at Blake’s chest.
1991 [see agterslag].
2. noncount. Fine whip-cord of antelope skin used for making voorslags. Also attributive.
1870 E. Prov. Herald 5 Apr.A number of voerslag skins and sjamboks realized moderate prices.
1880 E.F. Sandeman Eight Months in Ox-Waggon 42Supplies of rims, rim pey and forslat.
1880 E.F. Sandeman Eight Months in Ox-Waggon 130Forslat, thin strips of skin used for the whip-lashes, and which the drivers wear out every two or three days.
1881 F.R. Statham Blacks, Boers & Brit. 197Patched here with strips of hide — what the Dutchman calls ‘voorslag’ — there with string.
1907 J.P. Fitzpatrick Jock of Bushveld 449It was wealth to him to have the riems and voorslag, the odd yokes and strops and waggon tools.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 246A karoo plant..the fleshy, juicy leaves of which are used in the preparation of skins for karosses, voorslag, and other uses.
1914 S.P. Hyatt Old Transport Rd 272Voorshlag..was a most paying thing to make.
1920 F.C. Cornell Glamour of Prospecting 273Soon the sole began to part company with the upper. And he had left his voorslag at Aar Pan. Luckily I had some fancy native wire-work..which, unravelled, served to keep sole and upper together.
1932 Grocott’s Daily Mail 9 Jan. 3I definitely remember having bought a few shoe laces in place of the usual ‘voorslag’.
1958 A. Jackson Trader on Veld 56Riems, of gemsbok skins, and voorslag (whipcord) of koodoo skins.
A fine strip of antelope hide forming the end of a whiplash; foreslock.
Fine whip-cord of antelope skin used for making voorslags. Also attributive.
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voorskot, nounn.voorspan, nounn.
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