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Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

iro

1. (verb) to be submissive.

Whiua kia iro ai (W 1971:80). / Punish him so that he will be submissive.

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2. (noun) haven't you learnt your lesson yet? you should have known better, you'll listen next time, I told you so, I should have known better - an idiom used to comment on someone's mistake or oversight when they should have known better. In this usage iro is often preceded by a possessive.

Kua mau taku iro. Kore rawa au e kai waipiro me te whakatete ki te taraiwa i taku waka ā muri ake nei (HKK 1999:97). /
I should have known better. I will never drink and drive my vehicle ever again. /

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See also e iro e iro!, kua mau [tō] iro

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