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Historical loan words

miro

1. (noun) miro, brown pine, Prumnopitys ferruginea - a coniferous tree of lowland forest, with curved leaves arranged in two rows. Pinkish-purple berries are eaten by kererū.

He nui anō ngā rākau nunui i taua wā, he tōtara, he rimu, he kahika, he mataī, he miro, he kauri me ngā rākau pakupaku, he patatē, he hinahina he kaikōmako te paunga o te ngahere i te ahi (HTK 20/1/1894:5). / There were many giant trees at that time, tōtara, rimu, kahikatea, mataī, miro and kauri, with the small trees, patatē, whiteywood and kaikōmako, which were all destroyed in the fire.

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Synonyms: toromiro

miro

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-tia) to spin, twirl, twist, twine.

Nāna anō hoki i ako ngā toi me ngā mōhiotanga o tōna whaea, ki te tapahi harakeke, ki te mahi ake i te houhi hei raranga kete, mahi piupiu, whatu korowai, whatu tīpare me te hanga korehe, ā, ki te miro ake i te muka ki tōna kūwhā, kia taea ai te whatu me te tae (TTR 1996:70). / She also learned the arts and knowledge of her mother, cutting flax and lacebark for weaving baskets, making piupiu, weaving cloaks, headbands and sandals, twirling flax fibre on her thigh to prepare it for weaving and dyeing.

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2. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ia,-tia) to whirl, swirl.

Te mea tuatahi i kitea e mātou he roto paruparu e miro ana, e koropupū ana (TP 1/1/1902:10). / The first thing we saw was mud pools swirling and bubbling.

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3. (noun) thread, strand, twisted cord, fibre.

E haere ana ahau kia kite i ōku takahoa i te wā kei tamariki ana, ki te whakahou i ngā whakaaro ki te whakahiato i ngā miro o te taura kua mawheto i ngā tau maha ka toha kei muri, ā, ka mimire anō ki roto i te whakatakere o tōku ngākau (TKO 30/4/1920:6). / I am going to see my friends from the time when I was a child, to refresh my ideas, to collect together the strands of the rope that have loosened in the many years spread out behind me, and to bind them again into the bottom of my heart.

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4. (noun) cotton.

E tipu ana i reira te miro, te kawhi, te tupeka, me te tōhuka (TP 8/1899:3). / Cotton, coffee, tobacco and sugar cane grow there.

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miro ngaiaku

1. (noun) nylon thread.

miro niho

1. (noun) dental floss.

toromiro

1. (noun) miro, brown pine, Prumnopitys ferruginea - a coniferous tree of lowland forest, with curved leaves arranged in two rows. Pinkish-purple berries are eaten by kererū.

See also miro

Synonyms: miro

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