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Definition of remskoen in English:

remskoen

(also remschoen, riemschoen, remschoon)

Pronunciation /ˈrɛmskʊn/

noun

South African

  • 1A brake shoe or skid of iron or heavy timber, used on the rear wheels of a wagon prior to the invention of the screw-brake. Now historical except in figurative use.

  • 2historical, rare More fully "remskoen party". A reactionary or obscurantist group or influence in politics, especially in the Cape parliament before the unification of South Africa in 1910.

Origin

Early 19th century. From South African Dutch, Dutch remschoen from Dutch rem brake or its etymon remmen to brake (probably cognate with Old English hremman to hinder) + schoen.