2. (adjective) be difficult, hard.
He uaua ki a au te whakawā, me te whiu i a rātou i te mea ko te kāwanatanga anō nāna i whakaae ngā mīhini petipeti (TP 10/1906:2). / It is difficult for me to give judgement and to punish them beacuse the government itself allows totalisators.
3. (modifier) difficult, hard, demanding.
He tūranga uaua te tūranga i riro i a ia (TTR 2000:187). / The position that he took on was a difficult one.
4. (noun) difficulty, dilemma, problem, trouble.
Mai i tōna taitamarikitanga, ahakoa ngā uaua me ngā taupatupatu i waenganui i tōna matua me Te Kooti, i kaha tonu te mau a Takurua ki ngā kawenata o te Hāhi Ringatū, kore rawa ia i whakaae kia whakamōrea (TTR 1998:194). / From his youth, despite difficulties and arguments between his father and Te Kooti, Takurua was a strong adherent of the covenants of the Ringatū church and would never agree to compromised them.
Synonyms: pōrahurahu, pōraruraru, whakararuraru, whakararu, māniania, hara, rararu, raruraru, raru, mate, kūrakuraku
5. (noun) sinew, muscle, vein, artery.
(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 21;)
Ka mahi noa ētahi uaua i ā rātou mahi, ahakoa e moe ana, e oho ana rānei te tangata, kāore ēnei uaua e whakahaerehia e te tangata (RP 2009:424). / Some muscles function involuntarily whether a person is asleep or awake. These muscles are not controlled by the person.
See also me uaua (kē) ka ...
uaua aunoa
1. (noun) involuntary muscle.
Ko ngā uaua aunoa: koia nei te momo uaua e tutuki ai te mahi a te manawa me ērā atu whēkau o te tinana, pērā i te kōpiro (RP 2009:425). / Involuntary muscles: These are the types of muscles that enable the functions of the heart and other organs of the body, such as the intestine.
uaua toto
1. (noun) vein, artery.
Kia hemo rānō te toto i roto i te tinana, kia whakakīia ōu uaua toto i te ahi (ahi kōmau) me te wairua, kātahi anō koe ka atua, ka hoki atu ai ki te aroaro o te matua, o ngā wairua katoa (TTT 1/7/1924:77). / When the blood in the body is gone and your veins are filled with the smoldering fire and the spirit, then you will become a malignant spirit that will return to confront the parent and all the spirits.