sjambok

[ sham-bok, -buhk ]

noun

1. (in southern Africa) a heavy whip, usually of rhinoceros hide.

verb (used with object)

1. to whip with or as if with such a whip.

sjambok

/ -bɒk; ˈʃæmbʌk /

noun

1. a heavy whip of rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide
2. a stiff synthetic version of this, used in crowd control

verb

1. tr to strike or beat with such a whip

Word History and Origins

Origin of sjambok¹

1820–30; < Afrikaans s ( j ) ambok < Malay cambuk whip < Hindi cābuk

Word History and Origins

Origin of sjambok¹

C19: from Afrikaans, from Malay samboq, chamboq, from Urdu chābuk

Example Sentences

He would not; so Gideon left him tied up all night, promising him some more sjambok in the morning.

From Project Gutenberg

They'll be here to-night, old De Wet says, and they're to come here and sjambok the Englishmen who've been talking too much.

From Project Gutenberg

Then came the sharp crack as of a sjambok wielded by a strong and well-accustomed arm.

From Project Gutenberg

One tattered little boy of ten cracked his sjambok whip behind the bullocks.

From Project Gutenberg

He got careless with his sjambok and flicked a tall Swazi warrior on a naked but important part of his anatomy.

From Project Gutenberg