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.
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.
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.
Synonyms: poapoataunu, māteatea, ngaringariā
