John Brown, noun phrase

Plurals:
unchanged, or John Browns.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Translation of Afrikaans jan bruin see janbruin; see quotation 1902.
Any of several species of seabream of the Sparidae, dark brown in colour (especially Gymnocrotaphus curvidens): a. The janbruin (sense a), G. curvidens. b. The Hottentot fish (see Hottentot noun sense 2 a), Pachymetopon aeneum. c. The bronze bream (sense b), P. grande. d. Polyamblyodon germanum; bronze bream sense c.
1902 J.D.F. Gilchrist in Trans. of S. Afr. Philological Soc. XI. iv. 223The John Brown and Jacob Swart stand in a category by themselves...The names appear to refer simply to the colour of these fish.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 231The John Brown’s scale-pockets are brown...John Brown are always in groups of families of from four or five to a dozen.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 235The John Brown family reappeared..and were lost to view.
1945 H. Gerber Fish Fare 47John Brown, as its name denotes, has a brown colour. It is somewhat similar to a galjoen in shape.
1947 K.H. Barnard Pict. Guide to S. Afr. Fishes 156John Brown, (Gymnocrotaphus curvidens)...A vegetarian or omnivorous feeder, well known to rock anglers at the Cape, but seldom seen in fish markets.
1955 C. Horne Fisherman’s Eldorado 105John Brown, probably the commonest small bottom feeding fish at Port Alfred and adjacent areas, cause confusion, for Eastern Province anglers know no less than four distinct fish by the one common name, John Brown. The John Brown of the Cape..is scarce...The fish known at the Cape as hottentot is the second of the four Port Alfred John Browns. The third John Brown is a brilliant blue and bronze copper bream...The fourth fish known locally as John Brown is called hottentot at Knysna, bluefish at East London, and bronze bream in Natal and along The Wild Coast.
1975 S. Afr. Panorama July 17John Brown, wildeperd and kob can be landed from the rocks.
1979 Snyman & Klarie Free from Sea 33John Brown,..This plump shapely fish is typically South African, and distinctive with its dark brown body, bright blue eyes and large, comical teeth.
1982 Outeniqualander 2 Sept. 2Most meritorius catch..went to Keith Stephenson for a John Brown weighing 1,05 kg.
The janbruin (sense a), G. curvidens.
The Hottentot fish (see Hottentot noun sense 2 a), Pachymetopon aeneum.
The bronze bream (sense b), P. grande.
Polyamblyodon germanum; bronze bream sense c.
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John, nounn.John Company, noun phrasen. phr.
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