witblitz
n.— «The injuries were allegedly sustained during a “corridor session” in which pupils are forced to crawl on hands and knees past other hostel dwellers, who then hit the pupil. The practice is referred to as “witblitz” or “bak-oond.”» —“Boy ‘beaten into submission’” by Hannah Keal in Pietermaritzburg News24 (Cape Town, S. Africa) Sept. 20, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...