voorkis, noun

/ˈfʊə(r)kəs/
Forms:
Also voorkisse, voorkist.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans, earlier South African Dutch voorkist, from Dutch voor front, fore + kist chest.
historical
A storage chest, traditionally used as the driver’s seat on a trek-wagon. Also dimunitive form voorkissie [see -ie]. See also wakis.
1852 C. Barter Dorp & Veld 17 (Pettman)A second wagon rolled up, on the voorkist of which I at once recognized our man.
1872 in A.M.L. Robinson Sel. Articles from Cape Monthly Mag. (1978) 229What plight should we be in if we had not ‘riems’ and ‘voorkist’ and ‘katel?’
1897 H.A. Bryden Nature & Sport 200On a July morning in the South African veldt two hunters stand, just after sunrise, upon the voor-kist (fore-box) of one of their wagons, and, leaning upon the tilt, scan eagerly the great plains around them.
1902 H.J. Duckitt in M. Kuttel Quadrilles & Konfyt (1954) 18The goodies were packed in the box which formed the front seat of the wagon (voorkissie).
1906 H. Rider Haggard Benita 63One morning Benita..thrust aside the curtain and seated herself upon the voorkisse, or driving-box.
[1936 C. Birkby Thirstland Treks 292I stood upon the forechest of my wagon for nearly two hours, lost in wonder.]
1991 Best of S. Afr. Short Stories (Reader’s Digest Assoc.) 200The wakis proper was made for its special function on the trek wagon. A voorkis, designed for the front of the wagon..usually had a sloped front and sides...The agterkis for the back of the wagon was smaller and square.
A storage chest, traditionally used as the driver’s seat on a trek-wagon. Also dimunitive form voorkissie [see -ie].
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historical
voorkamer, nounn.voorlaaier, nounn.
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