‖vooros, noun

/ˈfʊə(r)ɔs/
Plurals:
voorosse/ˈfʊə(r)ɔsə/, and (formerly) voorossen.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Afrikaans, voor fore, front + os ox.
front ox. Cf. agteros.
1868 [see hot].
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 269The ‘voor-ossen’ and ‘achter-ossen’, or the first and last pair, being picked specimens, used to be worth in the good old early days as much as £16 each.
1937 H. Sauer Ex Afr. 191Next in importance to the achter-os, or wheeler, comes the voor-os, or leader, who also is expected to be a cut above the ordinary middle ox member of the team...The voor-os is expected to act the part of friend, philosopher, and guide to the rest of the team.
1977 F.G. Butler Karoo Morning 90Having managed to inspan the two agterosse after half an hour’s battle, we would turn our attention to the voorosse; but by the time these were under control the agterosse had wriggled free or broken their traces or tied themselves and the harness into inextricable knots.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18961977

Browse Related Words

By Category

Transport
Agriculture and Farming

By Origin

Afrikaans
voorloper, nounn.voorskot, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English