whakawehiwehi
1. (verb) (-a) to terrify, frighten, horrify, intimidate, threaten, terrorise, scare.
I tae mai te pukapuka a Waaka Huia ki a mātou, he taua tonu, mō te korenga e tāia āna kōrero. I whakawehiwehi ia i a mātou i mea ka pānuitia tō mātou hē e ia ki ngā nūpepa Pākehā (HKW 1/6/1902:5). / The letter, which was quite hostile, of Waaka Huia concerning not publishing his account has reached us. He threatened us by saying he would broadcast our blunder in Pākehā newspapers.
Synonyms: whakaataata, whakamataku, whakawehi
2. (modifier) terrifying, frightening, threatening.
Kua kite pea ngā tāngata Māori i roto i ngā nūpepa o mua, arā i 'Te Karere Maori' i ētahi kōrero whakatūpato mō tēnei mate whakawehiwehi, mō te koroputaputa (TWMNT 19/6/1872:83). / Māori people have probably seen in earlier newspapers, namely 'Te Karere Maori', some cautionary information about this frightening disease, smallpox.
3. (noun) threat, dread, terror, fear.
I tū atu tō rātou kaipuke i waho o te tāone me te whakawehiwehi ki te hopukina ō rātou hoa ka taiparatia e rātou te tāone ki te pū repo (TP 7/1905:6). / Their ship stood off the town with the threat that if their allies were captured they would fire on the town with cannons.
