whakarīrā
1. (verb) to work hard, strive, toil.
He haere matapōkere noa iho te mahi a te hunga e matenui ana, e whakarīrā ana kia pūioio te reo, he kore mārama nō tātou ko ēhea ngā mahi tino whaihua, ko ēhea ia me paku whakarerekē kia whaihua anō ai (HM 3/1993:2). / The people who earnestly desire it are working in the dark, and although they are striving hard to strengthen the language, we are not clear what activities really bring results, and which ones should be modified so that they are beneficial.
2. (noun) hard work, hard labour.
Nā tana tahunga i ngētehi toa i Te Kūiti ki te ahi i Oketopa i te tau 1897, ka mau hereheretia anō mō ngā tau e whitu, ā, āpiti atu, ko te whiu ko te whakarīrā kia werawera te rae (TTR 1994:147). / Because he set fire to some shops in Te Kūiti in October 1897, he was imprisoned for seven years and in addition he was sentenced to hard labour.
