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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

whakamā

1. (verb) to be ashamed, shy, bashful, embarrassed.

Ki te haere au ki te tāone he tarau poto, kāore he tōkena, ka kite tonu au i ngā tāngata e tiro mākutu ana ki te nawe o taku waewae, ka whakamā au (HP 1991:21). / If I went to town in shorts and no soxs, I saw people staring at the scar on my leg and I was embarrassed.

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Synonyms: numinumi, konekone, matakakā, pūihi, matakā, matawhiwhiu, matakana, memeke, hūiki, hihira, mokepūihi


2. (modifier) ashamed, shy, bashful, embarrassed.

He tangata whakamā au ki tēnei mahi (JPS 1946:19). / I am a person that is embarrassed by this sort of thing.

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3. (noun) shame, embarrassment.

Ka kite au i ngā tāngata me ngā wāhine e puta hurori mai ana ki waho, hāmama ana ō rātou māngai, puta ana ngā kupu a tētahi ki tētahi, tau mai ana te whakamā ki ahau; tū ana ngā haka me ngā ruriruri, he nui atu te kino o ngā kōrero, ānō kua rēweratia (KO 17/5/1886:4). / I saw men and women staggering out, shouting to each other, and I was ashamed; they performed haka and bawdy ditties and what they said was terrible, as if they had been taken over by the devil.

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Synonyms: poapoataunu, māteatea, ngaringariā

whakamā

1. (verb) to whiten.

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