bek, noun

/bek/
Forms:
Also beck, bêk.
Origin:
Afrikaans.
colloquial
1. Beak; muzzle; in expressions indicating irritation, the human mouth.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 54Bek,..In Cape Dutch this word is frequently used in the same sense as the English slang word ‘cheek’ — ‘Hou, uw bek’. ‘Shut up!’ ‘Don’t be cheeky!’
1916 Farmer’s Weekly 27 Dec. 1580Jackasses. Just arrived per Clan Chisholm Castle...Colours: All Black with white bellies and wit beks.
1970 J. Goosen Informant, Queenstown, Eastern CapeI’ll keep his ‘bek’ shut (I’ll silence him).
1971 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)One of them (sc. the birds) loved grapes and he used to have his bek dripping with purple sap in the garden.
2. In the expression hou jou bek/ˌhəʊ jəʊ -/ [Afrikaans, hou hold + jou your + bek mouth], shut up!
1913 [see sense 1].
c1929 S. Black in S. Gray Three Plays (1984) 108Camelia: Shuee! Here comes two ladies. Frikkie (to Sophie): Hou jou bek!...Sophie: Shut up yourself.
1959 J. Packer High Roof 175‘Hou jou beck!’ he stormed suddenly. ‘I don’t believe anything of this!’
1971 Personality 5 Mar. 78‘Hou jou bek!’ ‘Kafir-boetie!’ ‘Liberalist!’...Our boys would have to drag up some better guns than that.
1979 A. House in Staffrider Vol.2 No.1, 9‘I’m not drunk. I don’t drink.’ ‘Shut up. Hou jou bêk, Hotnot.’
1984 W. Steenkamp in Cape Times 3 Mar.Hate mail continues to land on my desk. The latest..He’s Coming To Get You. Hou Jou Bek.
Beak; muzzle; in expressions indicating irritation, the human mouth.
In the expression hou jou bek/ˌhəʊ jəʊ -/ [Afrikaans, hou hold + jou your + bek mouth],shut up!
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19131984

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