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Idioms

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Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

wai

1. (noun) water, liquid, juice.

Pēhia ai te tahā ki raro i te wai kia kore ai e uru he hamuti ki roto (TTT 1/12/1929). / The calabash was pushed down into the water so that excrement would not enter.

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Synonyms: , ngongi


2. (noun) stream, creek, river.

Ka haupū te kupenga tawhito ki uta, ki ngā parenga o ngā wai tauraki ai ki te rā, ka maroke, ka pakapaka (TP 1/1/1901:6). / The old net lies in a heap on the shore and on the banks of streams to dry in the sun. It dries out and is baked.

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3. (noun) tears.

Kai te pūheke mai te wai i aku kamo (TW 26/1/1875:12). / The tears are flowing from my eyes.

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wai tai

1. (noun) sea water, salt water.

Ka kitea atu te mahi a te aua e ngote ana i te wai tai (HP 1991:16). / Lots of yellow-eyed mullet were seen sucking the sea water.

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See also waitai

ngongo wai

1. (noun) water hose.

I te porohīanga ngā tamariki i te ngongo wai (Ng 1993:161). / The children fooled about with the hose.

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peita wai

1. (loan) (noun) water paint.

Ko te peita wai: Ko te ranunga o te kano me te wai, ā, i te nuinga o te wā, he pūataata te āhua o tēnei momo peita. Ka kīia ko te peita waikino te mahinga toi ka hua ake i te whakamahinga o tēnei momo peita (RTA 2014:131). / Water paint: The mixture of colour with water and usually this type of paint is transparent. The art work resulting from the use of this type of paint is called a watercolour.

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wai-inu

1. (noun) drinking water.

I herea e rātou a Tango mō ngā rā e rua kāhore he kai, kāhore he wai-inu i hoatu e rātou ki a ia, i whakapaea anō e rātou nā Tango i paihana a Toko ki tōna mahi mākutu (KO 22/2/1887:6). / They tied up Tango for two days without food and drinking water, and they accused Tango of poisoning Toko with his sorcery.

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pata wai

1. (noun) drop of water.

Nana, ko ngā iwi, ānō he pata wai i roto i te pēre! (PT Ihaia 40:15). / Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket!

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wai tote

1. (loan) (noun) salty water, brine.

Ka mutu tēnā ka waiho i rō wai tote (TTT 1/10/1927:699). / When that's done leave it in salty water.

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mano wai

1. (noun) deep running water, disaster.

He rākau ka hinga ki te mano wai (W 1971:176). / A tree fallen into the deep running water.

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wai māori

1. (noun) freshwater, mineral water.

E kīia ana, kua tae mai ngā ika o Karapōnia, e kīa nei, he tarauta (e pēnei ana me te kōkopu wai māori a te Māori) ā kua tukua atu aua ika ki tētahi o ngā roto i Waikato (TW 2/11/1878:546). / It is reported that fish from California have arrived, which are called trout (and are like the Maori’s fresh water kōkopu) and those fish have been released in one of the lakes in Waikato.

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wai whakaika

1. (noun) ritual waters - pool where rites are performed to ensure that knowledge is retained.

Ka kawea ki te wai kotikoti, arā ki te wai whakaika (W 1971:76). / He was taken to the special water, that is to the ritual pool.

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tāngia te wai o [tō] waha

1. bail the water from your mouth, wash out your mouth  – a strong idiom to reprimand someone for what they have said.

Me kōrero kē koe ki tō tama, ka kī atu kia tāngia te wai o tana waha. / You should talk instead to your son and tell him to wash out his mouth.

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Wai whakarewa kauri

1. Waters where war canoes were launched which were sometimes made of kauri- a honorific expression for such a body of water.

Tirohia rā ngā wai whakarewa kauri i tere ai a maruwehi mā / look at the war canoe launching waters traversed by the esteemed ones.

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Wai pounga hoe

1. Paddle plunging waters: reference to a body of water traversed by canoes in former times. A honorific expression for ones ancestral waters.

E ngā wai pounga hoa a ngā tūpuna tēnei ka mihi / to the waters paddled by the ancestors I acknowledge you.

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Wai tuku kiri

1. Skin caressing waters: said of rivers and lakes.

Haere ki ō wai tuku kiri kia ora ai koe / go to your skin caressing waters so you will become well.

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Kahu o te wai

1. The surrface of the water: only the surface of a subject not delving deeper into it.

KIa rere noa ngā kōrero i te kahu o te wai / Lets just keep the discussion high-level.

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Wai whakatere taniwha

1. A body of water traversed by taniwha: a honorific expression for a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean.

E ngā wai whakatere taniwha e ngā wai pounga hoa a ngā tūpuna tēnei ka mihi / to the water bodies traversed by taniwha to the waters paddled by the ancestors I pay homage.

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kōrere wai

1. (noun) spouting, gutter, tap, funnel, water pipe.

I te 8 o ngā rā o Tīhema nei, ka ngaoko te whenua o Whanganui nei i te rū, ā, i pakaru ko ngā kōrere wai mai ki te tāone, i kino katoa (TJ 4/1/1898:6). / On the 8th December the land here at Whanganui shook from the earthquake and the water pipes to the town were badly damaged.

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Synonyms: paipa, kōrere, , momi


2. (noun) tap, faucet, valve.

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