‖diener, noun

/ˈdinə(r)/
Forms:
Also diender, and (formerly) dienaar.
Plurals:
dienders, dieners, formerly dienaaren.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans (literally ‘one who serves’), conflation of Dutch dienaar servant and diender policeman, bailiff.
Especially in the Western Cape: a policeman; occasionally, any officer of the state.
Note:
Historically an official rank, ‘diener’ has now become slang for ‘policeman’.
[c1795 W.S. Van Ryneveld in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1897) I. 244The Fiscal had in his employ three Sergeants of Police,..ten constables, or Gerechtsdienaaren.]
1827 G. Thompson Trav. 285Being supplied by the Landdrost, Mr. Ryneveld, with fresh horses, and a dienaar (police man) to accompany me, I arrived, in a few hours, at Rondebosch.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 68He, the field-cornet, being a government dienaar (officer), can do what he likes with the land.
a1878 J. Montgomery Reminisc. (1981) 51I remained where I was.., when up came three dienaars (constables) and took me in charge. I was taken before Mr B...He then called a dienaar or constable.
1926 P.W. Laidler Tavern of Ocean 160Constables received poor pay...The service was therefore disliked, and looked down upon as a degradation. The dienaars, dissatisfied with their lot, became drunken.
1934 Cape Argus 3 Mar. (Swart)These ‘Dienaaren’ or police officers, are specially instructed to see that the streets were kept in clean and good repair by the inhabitants.
1960 J. Cope Tame Ox 74‘You tell the dieners once, not twice.’ ‘You lie! I never told the police nothing.’
1963 A.M. Louw 20 Days 86The ‘Kaffers’ had been to the charge office to ask the ‘dienders’ to arrest them for not carrying their passes.
1982 [see gammat sense 2].
a policeman; occasionally, any officer of the state.
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Afrikaans
Dutch
diederik, nounn.die stryd duur voort, phrasephr.
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