master, noun

Origin:
EnglishShow more Special senses of general English.
1. Law. Always with initial capital. Elliptical for Master of the Supreme Court, an officer of the court primarily responsible for the administration of deceased and insolvent estates, the supervision of guardians of minors, and the control over curators of persons unable to look after themselves.
1832 Graham’s Town Jrnl 2 Mar. 37All persons claiming to be Creditors under this Estate, are required to take Notice,..that the Master has appointed the third Meeting to be held before the Resident Magistrate at his office.
1877 F. Jeppe Tvl Bk Almanac & Dir. (1976) 52Orphan Chamber, Representatives of the Master, The Landdrosts of the different Districts, the Gold Commissioner, and the commissioner of Lichtenburg.
1968 E.A. Walker Hist. of Sn Afr. 163The Chief Justice..took over the duties of the Vice-Admiralty Court, the Attorney-General those of the Fiscal, and, in 1834, the Master those of the Orphan Chamber.
1970 H.H. Hermans Law my Master 107I took him up for a personal chat to the Master of the Supreme Court...The unhappy answer was easier for the Master to put across as he did not know all the family circumstances as I did.
1987 [see Orphan Chamber].
2. Also maaster. Often with initial capital. Now offensive to many: a deferential term of address or reference used by Black people of or to their White employers or White people in general; used as a title with a first name. See also madam. Cf. baas sense 2 and 3.
1833 Graham’s Town Jrnl 6 June 2I know that they beat the old master, and that he fell.
1841 B. Shaw Memorials 95Boor: ‘What kind of singing and praying is this you have had? I never heard any thing like it, and cannot understand.’ Jacob Links: ‘I think master, you only come to mock at us, as many of the farmers say we ought not have the gospel.’
1857 ‘A.’ in Cape Monthly Mag. II. Sept. 140Master was not yet up, but if I came back in half an hour I might see him.
1877 R.M. Ballantyne Settler & Savage 3The Bushman looked vacant and made no reply. ‘Where is your master’s house?’ asked the youth.
1902 H.J. Duckitt in M. Kuttel Quadrilles & Konfyt (1954) 22Our faithful old Hottentot ox-herd came in, gravely saluting ‘the master’, and..said, ‘Master, I have found a nest with seventeen ostrich eggs a little way inside your boundary.’
1904 C.G. Dennison Fight to Finish 12One of my despatch bearers, David, came to me and said, ‘Master, the chiefs Cobus and Frederick Nagalie have sent me to tell you that on Monday morning at daylight you must have your wagons loaded.’
1948 A.C. White Call of Bushveld 166My boy excitedly exclaimed, ‘There he is master.’
1954 A. Segal Jhb. Friday 18‘Sixpence,’ she said, thumping the three packages in turn. ‘This one is for the Master. This one is for Miss Jessie. This one is for Baas Phillip.’
1966 S. Clouts One Life 54I’m sorrie sir: are you married, maaster?
1969 A. Paton Kontakion 104Elizabeth came to see me, a big strong coloured woman who called me master but quite clearly had a mind and personality of her own.
1973 Sunday Times 29 Apr. 13I talked to quite a few Black people — domestic servants, drivers, and people I met in Soweto...Most of them called me baas or master. I know they called me those things because I am White.
1985 Staffrider Vol.6 No.2, 24I got a job as a domestic. I was there five years. The madam was nice, the master was nice. I liked the work.
1986 M. Picardie in S. Gray Market Plays 79I’m moving to a nice house, master. I’m getting a job with master. Oh he’s a good master, master.
1988 L. Jeanes in Style Feb. 53After searching him for drugs, bemused officials brought him back to Michael Spilkin with the words: ‘This man says you’re his master.’ ‘That,’ says Edward with a large laugh, ‘was my last time to say Master. Now I say Boss or Sir’.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 277‘Get down man! Show me your ID.’ ‘I’m coming, Master, Don’t make me fall, Master. Please, Master, I’m coming.’
1989 B. Ludman Day of Kugel 4The master is at university and the madam is playing squash. Master Clive is out.
Always with initial capital.Elliptical for Master of the Supreme Court, an officer of the court primarily responsible for the administration of deceased and insolvent estates, the supervision of guardians of minors, and the control over curators of persons unable to look after themselves.
Also maaster. Often with initial capital.a deferential term of address or reference used by Black people of or to their White employers or White people in general; used as a title with a first name.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18321989

Browse Related Words

By Category

Law
Occupations

By Origin

English

By Usage

elliptical
masonja, plural nounpl. n.Matabele, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English