Part of Speech


Each headword is categorised according to a part of speech, noun, verb, adjective, adverb, conjunction etc. The part of speech is given in italics after the headword.

bakkie, noun . . . 1. A bowl; any small container . . . 2. A light truck, a pick-up
jag, verb transitive . . . To chase, hunt or pursue
Torch Commando, noun phrase . . . A militant organization formed in 1951 to oppose the National Party government

One entry may have many parts of speech. Each part of speech is listed at the headword and treated as a separate sense, distinguished using capital letters (A, B, C etc.)

Afrikaans, noun and adjective . . . A. noun A language of southern Africa, and particularly South Africa . . . B. adjective Of or pertaining to the Afrikaner people
raak, adjective and adverb . . . A. adjective On target, accurate. B. adverb Accurately

A part of speech may also accompany subordinate entries such as phrases and derivatives.

klopse, noun . . . Often in the phrase Kaapse klopse [Afrikaans, Kaaps of the Cape]. 1. plural noun Especially in Cape Town: troupes of Cape Malay street singers
klip, verb transitive . . . To place a stone before or behind a (wagon) wheel . . . Derivatives: Hence klipping verbal noun

Additional grammatical information, for example noncount, passive, predicative etc., is also shown using grammar labels.

laager, verb . . . 2. transitive and reflexive. To encamp (persons, or oneself and one's companions) in a strong defensive position in a laager. Usually passive