veld

plural velds · alternative dated veldt

1. South AfricaThe open grassland or pastureland of South Africa and neighbouring countries.

   Advance tovvards the Cond Bokke Veld, or cold country of Antelopes: mountains covered with ſnovv.

   1789 August, “Art. I. A Narrative of Four Journies into the Country of the Hottentots, and Caffraria, in the Years 1777, 1778, and 1779. Illustrated with a Map, and 17 Copper Plates. By Lieutenant William Paterson. […] Johnson. 1789. [book review]”, in [Thomas Christie], editor, The Analytical Review, or History of Literature, Domestic and Foreign. […], volume IV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 387

   5 more examples

   In the Bokke-velds, as they are called, theſe animals [springbok] are found in great numbers, and ſometimes at Roode-Zand.

   [1785, Andrew Sparrman, “Journey from Boshies-mans-river to Quamme-dacka”, in A Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, towards the Antarctic Polar Circle, and Round the World: […], volume II, London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, […], →OCLC, page 84

   People who have not been brought into contact with snakes may deny that they possess the power of fascinating a human being, but in the wild veldt strong, able-bodied men have been subjected to their spell, and can tell a different tale.

   1879, Charles H. Eden, “A Despot in Council”, in Ula, in Veldt and Laager: A Tale of the Zulus (Asher’s Continental Library; 6), copyright edition, Hamburg: Karl Grädener, →OCLC, page 47

   The pastoral lands or "velds," which extend chiefly around the outer slopes and in the east, are distinguished according to the nature of the grass or sedge which they produce as "sweet" or "sour."

   1879, K. J., “CAPE COLONY”, in The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature, 9th edition, volume V, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, →OCLC, page 42, column 1

   Around, as far as the eye can see, there stretches the bare and dreary-looking plain. The Veld, as this plain is called, has a reddish soil, dry, barren, and dusty, with here and there at considerable intervals a straggling bush or a clump of thorn-shrubs.

   1885, attributed to Jules Verne, “One for the Frenchman”, in [anonymous], transl., The Vanished Diamond: A Tale of South Africa, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 4

   I have a piece of veld on Doornfontein. It is a reserved veld. A small river runs here. It is the best grazing on my farm, being very sweet. I reserve it for my cattle.

   1894 February 6, Henry Thomas Greef (plaintiff), J. D. Sheil (reporter), “Greef v. Van der Westhuysen”, in Reports of All Cases Decided in the Supreme Court of the Cape of Good Hope, During the Months of January, February and March, 1894. […], volume IV, part I, Cape Town: […] “Cape Times” office, […], →OCLC, page 28, column 2