whakaha - Te Aka Māori Dictionary

whakahā

1. (verb) (-kia,-tia) to breathe, respire, exhale.

Ka whakahā te waha o Hau' ki runga ki ngā tipuaki o ōna tāina, ka hoki mai te waiora (JPS 1914:132). / Hau' breathed on the crowns of the heads of his younger relatives, and the spirit of life returned to them.

Show example

Hide example

2. (modifier) custom of a tohunga breathing into someone to transfer his mauri.

Ka haere mai tana tauira matua, ka kīia atu e te tohunga nei kia whakaritea te tikanga whakahā, arā, kia ngongoa te hā o te tohunga kia riro ai i te tauira tōna mauri (TTR 1994:148). / His main pupil came and the tohunga asked to perform the ritual whakahā, inhaling the tohunga's breath so that the pupil could obtain his mauri.

Show example

Hide example

whākaha

1. (noun) amplifier.

Ko te mahi a te whākaha he huri i te pūngao hiko hei pūngao oro (RP 2009:442). / What an amplifier does is convert electrical energy into sound energy.

Show example

Hide example