An overloaded moke (who appears to be smarter than his owner)."Moke" is indeed a disparaging term used by Hawaiians, meaning somebody big and dumb. However, as near as I can tell its usage preceeds that by many centuries in English-speaking countries. It is an archaic British, Australian, and United States slang term meaning donkey. I cannot tell you where I first heard it, but it was long ago in my youth, which was divided between Michigan and Ohio, far away from Hawaii. There are no racial overtones, intended or unintended, to the term as I understand it.
9 comments:
That last little box will do it every time!
Em a Donkey, A equestrian Animal a little smaller and weaker than a Jack-Ass. Good discription, Good Word.
Dennis
III
Texas
Been a long time since I heard the term "Moke". I 1st heard it while stationed in Hawaii. It seemed to be a favorite way to describe "haole" Redneck Marines!lol
Thanks Mike had no idea what it meant :)
Hope your having a good weekend!
Heard the term for many years - describing an idiot - but never hawaii or donkey.
Still, know what you meant...
It's a fave with me and my fictional character in my novel.
New Yawkers say jamoke.
moke is a great word. It's like bubba for white red necks. You say bubba and you know it's a guy with no sleeves on his t shirt, who thinks about beer and farts all the time.
Some of my best friends are mokes and bubbhas.
The Online Etymology Dictionary on "moke":
"“dolt,” 1855, originally (16c.) “donkey;” of unknown origin."
The "Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition" describes "moke" as British slang of unknown origin for "donkey" or "a stupid fellow", and as an Australian word for "an inferior horse" or a "nag".
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