ponteng en · VERB
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Malay ponteng.
Meanings
-
(Manglish, Singlish) To skip (school or work); play truant.
But that was the best place to spend the day if you pontenged school. It was so cool and quiet.
Quoted in 2009, Rosaly Puthucheary, Different Voices: The Singaporean/Malaysian Novel (page 124)[…] she rushed up to me at the end shouting: "Hei you came! Did you ponteng work?" I do not advocated "pontenging" of course but I do strongly recommend one primary school sports meet at least for each parent and soon.
1978, Adibah Amin, As I was Passing, volume 2, page 197:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pontengs | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| pontenged | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| pontenged | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| pontenging | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |