parmantig, adjective

Forms:
Also permantig.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from Dutch permantig.
a. cheeky. b. Arrogant, proud, conceited.
1871 J. Mackenzie Ten Yrs N. of Orange River 61As to being ‘parmantig’ or conceited, I believe we must bring the Griqua and Hottentot in as guilty, at any rate from a caste standpoint.
1902 W. Dower Early Annals of Kokstad 14The grass was too long, the winter too cold, the rains too heavy, the markets too far, the money too scarce, the merchandise too dear, the Kaffirs too ‘parmantig’.
1904 A. Wilmot Life & Times of Sir Richard Southey 69Biddulph is not popular...I hear some of his Dorp people are about to leave — he is so independent, and ‘permantig’ in his doings.
1939 R.F.A. Hoernlé S. Afr. Native Policy 135We have no need for active persecution, beyond making an example, now and then, of an ‘impudent’ (parmantig) non-European who does not remain ‘in his place’.
[1976 A. Delius Border 287The Boer holding the white flag roared at him, ‘Parmantige Hotnot!’]
Arrogant, proud, conceited.
Derivatives:
Hence parmantig  adverb, impudently.
1966 F.G. Butler Take Root or Die (1970) 38‘Magtig!’ you spoke ‘permantig’ like that to Mr Mountjoy?
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18711976

Derivatives