whāia
1. (verb) to be followed, chased, pursued, looked for, searched for, courted, wooed, aimed at - the passive form of whai.
See also whai
whaiā
1. (verb) (-tia) to injure by spells, bewitch - inflicting physical and psychological harm and even death through spiritual powers.
He toa e whaiātia ko te pōtiki nā Tuwhawairihau! (M 2004:300). / A warrior bewitched is the son of Tuwhakairihau!
See also whaiwhaiā
whāia (nei) ka/kua
1. all of a sudden, out of the blue, and then, without warning, from nowhere, unexpectedly, out of nowhere, unpredictably - an idiom to show a sudden and unexpected change.
I te haere pēnā atu mātou, whāia ka tae mai te rongo kua whakakore kētia te hui. / We went there, but out of the blue the news arrived that the meeting had been cancelled.
I ngā tau o mua atu, me uaua ka hamumu te waha. Whāia nei, kua pakari tonu tana tū ki te kauhau ki te mātinitini (HKK 1999:143). / In years gone by he rarely opened his mouth. Suddenly he's become able to stand and speak to the masses.
Synonyms: matawhawhati
