meneer, noun

/məˈnɪə(r)/
Forms:
Formerly also meineer.
Plurals:
menere/məˈnɪərə//məˈniərə/.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from South African Dutch, reduced forms of Dutch mijnheer, see mijnheer.
1. mijnheer sense 1.
1899 ‘S. Erasmus’ Prinsloo 32‘Meneer Prinsloo,’ said he, ‘show me where this water is got.’
a1951 H.C. Bosman Willemsdorp (1977) 121It’s the Gawd’s truth, the Gawd’s own truth, meneer Stein.
1956 D. Jacobson Dance in Sun 114Nobody had ever seen young Meneer Bester until the Noordhuizen girl met him on holiday.
1974 J. Matthews Park 73‘Meneer Du Toit,’ the farmer stiffened at the omission of the customary ‘baas’ and looked hard at Herman.
1980 S. Sepamla in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 80This is the Stirtonville of Meneer Taylor. To get to Mnr Taylor’s place, one had to turn right at the very first street.
1993 K. Malgas in Weekly Mail & Guardian 10 Dec. 43‘I’m planning to do something by myself...I know something will come but I haven’t caught it yet — but working with Meneer Beezy has pushed me towards it.’
2. mijnheer sense 4.
1910 J. Runcie Idylls by Two Oceans 115‘Come to de house, come to de house, de Missis is awake. Come inside, meineer.’
1946 S. Cloete Afr. Portraits 110‘Meneer,’ he said, ‘there are no minerals in the moon, for if there were you British would have annexed it long ago.’
1956 A. Sampson Drum 184A white policeman demanded his permit. ‘I haven’t got one, meneer.’ (It always annoys an Afrikaans policeman to be called meneer — mister — and not baas).
1965 Paton & Shah Sponono (1983) 27Sponono: Meneer. Principal:..What’s your trouble, Sponono? Sponono: I’ve no trouble, meneer.
1971 Sunday Times 28 Mar. 1She addressed a policeman as ‘Meneer’ (sir or mister) and he told her: ‘If you call me “meneer” I won’t speak to you. You know what you should call me.’
1982 M. Mzamane Children of Soweto 182‘Yes sir.’ ‘Yes, what?’ the younger man asked. ‘Yes, Meneer.’...Yes, what?’ ‘Yes, Baas.’
1990 F. Bates in Style Oct. 76‘Meneer,’ I said in what I hoped was suiwer Afrikaans, ‘I would prefer to drive back and sleep at the side of the road.’
1990 F. Bates in Style Oct. 76That’s when I decided I wanted out. ‘Meneer,’ I said in what I hoped was suiwer Afrikaans, ‘I would prefer to drive back and sleep at the side of the road.’
1992 Living Feb. 82‘Pack out everything including your pockets please Meneer,’ said the youngster.
3. mijnheer sense 2.
1936 C. Birkby Thirstland Treks 146Meneer the magistrate says that there are hundreds of other men like me.
[1958 A. Jackson Trader on Veld 33When Meneer die Predikant turned up in person in his rounds..there was a period of intensive worship.]
4. mijnheer sense 5.
1949 H.C. Bosman Cold Stone Jug (1969) 22Didn’t meneer perhaps think, with that funny smell about, that the body of some prison officer might be lying there under those sacks? Didn’t meneer smell something dead.
1987 L. Beake Strollers 87‘Meneer,’ he said slowly. ‘Can Meneer help that small madboy.’
1990 Frontline Mar.–Apr. 22‘If Meneer would like to stop for a minute,’ he says, ‘I’d like to buy Meneer a cooldrink.’
1990 M.C. D’Arcy in Staffrider Vol.9 No.1, 13‘What does Meneer want?’ ‘I’d like to know where I can find someone who knows all about the coons and their organizations.’ ‘Meneer wants to join?’
5. mijnheer sense 6.
1980 Sunday Times 31 Aug. (Extra) 3Our dominee-type tells Fred that he will be away for 20 minutes...Fred says..he will hold the fort while the Meneer is away.
1981 Voice 29 Apr. 2You’ll remember that some outstanding meneers..made an unsuccessful attempt to get their voices heard at New York’s Security Council of the United Nations.
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18991993

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melt sickness, noun phrasen. phr.mens, nounn. & interjectionint.
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