pāhoahoa

1. (intransitive verb) to be dizzy, have a headache.

Ka ngaua te kōhamo e te rā, ka pāhoahoa, ka āhua hiaruaki tonu (HJ 207:141). / If the back of the head is beaten by the sun, one gets a headache and feels a little like vomiting.

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2. (intransitive verb) to be barren, infertile, unproductive (of land).

He pāhoahoa te whenua: he ruarua nga mea e tipu i reira (Ng 1993:453). / The land was infertile: few things would grow there.

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Synonyms: tohetea, hahore

3. (noun) headache, giddiness, stupor.

Tino pāngia ana a Tūheka e te mate pāhoahoa, e te haumaruru hoki. Ki te whakapono o te whānau, he paihana kāhetia nōna i te pakanga te take i pāngia a ia e te mate (TTR 2000:73). / Tūheka suffered severe headaches and mood swings, which the family believed were the effects of gas poisoning during the war (DNZB 2000:218).

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4. (noun) back of the head.

He kōrero ki te pāhoahoa (TP 2/1909:11). / Talking to the back of the head. (A saying to describe boring talk which does not keep the audience's attention causing them turn away.)

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Synonyms: maihamo, murikōkai, kōhamo, kōpako, hamo, hemihemi

pāhoahoa

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