miesies, noun

/ˈmisi(ː)s/
Forms:
Also missees, missies, and with initial capital.
Origin:
Afrikaans, EnglishShow more Afrikaans, adaptation of English missus (see missus).
1. As a common noun: missus sense 1 a.
c1929 S. Black in S. Gray Three Plays (1984) 79Der other day he got er accident — he fall on his mossels en I got such a pulpertation of der heart. If I didn’ have der missees’ smelling salts by me I would have been quite onderstebo.
1959 J. Meiring Candle in Wind 167Already a collection had been taken in the White Town, and there was a white Miesies up at the Church, with a big bath of hot soup.
1968 F.G. Butler Cape Charade 44A person doesn’t pick up such a miesies every day. And the pay is also good.
1973 Y. Burgess Life to Live 34The Baas had pinched her when the Miesies was not looking.
1974 E. Prov. Herald 30 Aug. 15Van Zyl asked for a telephone directory, and phoned for an ambulance, explaining: ‘The miesies is sick.’
1974 Y. Burgess in S. Gray On Edge of World 21Alida had stacked the breakfast dishes in a basin because the ‘old Miesies’ had always used a basin and Mieta had, like Alida, a respect for tradition.
1982 M. wa Mmutle in Chapman & Dangor Voices from Within 167My mother died a servant...Wrapped in a shoal of bags Covered with rags from her Missies.
1990 Weekend Argus 14 July 13Most of those fed on that racist diet now find it impossible to believe they are not..superior to anyone...They won’t accept that the myth of baas and miesies was a figment of racist imagination.
1990 R. Malan My Traitor’s Heart 100As the Homan’s girl, Paulina was expected to cook, dust, wash dishes, make beds, polish shoes, clean windows, scrub floors, and mind the children while the baas and missies were at work.
2. a. A term of address to a (White) woman; also used in the third person, to show respect. b. A title for a (White) woman. Cf. mies sense a, missus sense 2.
1959 J. Meiring Candle in Wind 25‘And what does the old Miesies want today?’ the shopkeeper asked kindly.
1973 Y. Burgess Life to Live 113She was the one who came to me and said, Miesies, we have our children but we don’t know how they will turn out because the wind bends the saplings.
1979 Daily Dispatch 9 Feb. 11Miesies, I brought you the pumpkin to say thank you for giving my child money so that he would not lose his job. Thank you, miesies.
1986 F. Karodia Daughters of Twilight 52They did seem like nice people..but I suppose eventually they’ll also change and they’ll become Baas Edward and Miesies Jill. After all, South Africa is the only country in the world where the term ‘baas’ is equated with colour.
1987 G. Silber in Style Nov. 53Moderate black, Fulltime domestic servant. ‘Selina, isn’t it terrible what these Comrades do to your people?’ ‘Yes Miesies.’
1987 Learn & Teach No.1, 22I’m tired of hand-me-downs Shut-me-ups Keep-me-outs Messing-me-arounds. I have had enough from you, Miesies.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 279He went up the back steps and knocked on the door. ‘Can I have my pay now, Miesies?’...‘I’d recommend you as a Miesies any day.’
As a common noun: missus sense 1 a.
A term of address to a (White) woman; also used in the third person, to show respect.
A title for a (White) woman.
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19291990
mies, nounn.mietjie, nounn.
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