vroetel, verb intransitive

/ˈfrʊt(ə)l/
Origin:
Afrikaans.
colloquial
To fidget, fuss, or wriggle.
1966 E. Palmer Plains of Camdeboo 144‘What do you think I saw with my own eyes’ he would end triumphantly, ‘but the two tips of the lions’ tails fighting one another, vroetel, vroetel, vroetel in a little-little dust no higher than a Karoo bush!’
1970 H.M. Musmeci Informant, Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), Eastern CapePlease sit still and don’t vroetel like that (fidget).
1970 P.J. Rose Informant, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-NatalVroetel. To fuss around.
1971 G. Westcott Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)I haven’t got time to go on vroeteling with the hymns — let’s do the anthem.
To fidget, fuss, or wriggle.
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19661971
vrek, verb intransitivev.vrot, adjectiveadj.
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