hōtoa
1. (verb) to be slow, sluggish, slow moving, protracted.
Kei roa rawa rānei ia e pupuri ana i ana hipi e rite ana mō te hoko, ka pau ngā tarutaru i tika rā kia tohungia mā nga hipi e puritia ana i runga i te whenua, ka pau rānei i te wā o te tau e hōtoa ana te tupu hou ake o te tarutaru (TP 7/1901:6). / Or he might be too long retaining his sheep when they are ready for sale and the grass that is right to be saved for the sheep that are be retained on the land will be eaten out, or it will be used up at the time of the year when the new growth of the grass is sluggish.
Synonyms: takaroaroa, auroa, autō, horotete
2. (modifier) stunted.
He mānuka hōtoa nei ngā tarutaru o runga (TTT 1/5/1928). / The vegetation on it is stunted mānuka.
