whāwhā
1. (verb) (-ria,-tia) to take in the hand, feel (with the hand), lay hold of, handle, grope for.
I whakangotengotea i te tuatahi, i muri ka whāngaia ki te pūnu, i muri mai ka paruparua he kai, i muri mai ka tīmata te whāwhā i tētahi kai māna (TTT 1/6/1926:426). / At first a child was suckled, and later it was fed with a spoon, and after that its food was mashed up, and later still it began to feed itself.
2. (verb) (-tia) to use, handle, manipulate, operate, work.
Me aweko ki te whāwhā rorohiko ka haere ana koe hei hekeretari (PK 2008:51). / You must know how to use computers when you apply to be a secretary.
Synonyms: whakahaere, whakamahi, tapahi, rāpoi, whawhe, raweke, rāwekeweke
3. (noun) handling, hands on.
Mai i te tīmatanga, he manahau te whāwhā a Ngāwini i ngā whakahaere o te teihana (TTR 1996:280). / From the beginning Ngāwini took an active role in the management of the station.
4. (noun) sheathing petiole - the petiole is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem.
