An Australian Aboriginal term for a non-returning throwstick — a flat, curved wooden implement used for hunting.
An Australian Aboriginal term for a non-returning throwstick — a flat, curved wooden implement used for hunting. Unlike a boomerang, a dowak is not designed to return to the thrower. It is an authentic item from Australian Indigenous culture, used in hunting and sometimes warfare.
The museum display included several dowaks alongside the better-known boomerangs, with explanatory notes on their different uses.
Dowak means: An Australian Aboriginal term for a non-returning throwstick - a flat, curved wooden implement used for hunting. Unlike a boomerang, a dowak is not designed to return to the thrower. It is an. It is mainly Australian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "dowak".
Aussie and Kiwi vocabulary — bogan, daggy, brekkie, sheila, bach, jandals — the whole Antipodean lexicon, including outback dialect, surf and beach culture, and Sydney/Melbourne street slang.
See all Australian & NZ slang slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with D.
A wooden tool used to throw a dart, spear or other missile; a spearthrower; (Australia) a woomera.
A simple weapon consisting of a stick (often curved) that is thrown, often so that it spins in flight; an early type of boomerang.
Internet slang for a downvote — used humorously on Reddit and similar platforms. A playful respelling/phonetic distortion of 'downvote' that softens the negativity of the act with absurdist humour. Often deployed ironically or self-deprecatingly: 'here come the downdoots.' Part of Reddit's broader playful internal vocabulary.
(Australia) A traditional spearthrower, consisting of a stick with a hooked end, used by First Nations Australians.
Dowak means: An Australian Aboriginal term for a non-returning throwstick - a flat, curved wooden implement used for hunting. Unlike a boomerang, a dowak is not designed to return to the thrower. It is an. It is mainly Australian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
dowak means: An Australian Aboriginal term for a non-returning throwstick - a flat, curved wooden implement used for hunting. Unlike a boomerang, a dowak is not designed to return to the. Register: informal, Australian English. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
No comments yet — say something.
(Australian) A non-returning throwstick.
No comments yet — say something.