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Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kapu

1. (verb) to take hold of with the hollow of the hand facing upwards, scoop up.

Ko te toroa tai nāku i kapu mai i te huka o te tai (M 2004:132). / I scooped up the albatross plume from the froth of the sea.

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Synonyms: awhe, kaku, tīkoko, koko, kōutuutu


2. (noun) hollow of the hand, palm.

Ko te rongoā nei me riringi ki te kapu o te ringa, ā, ka ngongo ake mā te ihu, ā, ka tuha mai mā te waha (TTT 1/2/1925:188). / This medicine should be poured into the palm of the hand and sucked up via the nose and then spat out through the mouth.

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See also rāhui


3. (noun) instep (of the foot).

Ka rapa te uira i konei, ka papā te whatitiri, arā i tawhiti, i tawhiti, ka tae te ngiha ki ō rāua tinana, hauporoa tonutia iho ngā rekereke o tētahi, o tētahi, ka mau ko tētahi wāhi o te raparapa, me ngā kapu (KO 15/10/1883:6). / The lightning flashed here and the thunder exploded, that is at a distance, but the lightning reached their bodies, severing the heels of them both, leaving some parts of the soles and the insteps.

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4. (noun) crayfish tail.


5. (noun) curl.

Ka tīmata te whākanakana o ngā kanohi; titiro rawa atu ki te moana, e whakangaro atu ana ngā waka, ko te kapu kau o ngā hēra e kitea atu ana (JPS 1973:136). / He began to stare, looking far out on the ocean where he saw the canoes just disappearing from sight, only the curve of the sails was to be seen.

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6. (noun) object invested by a tohunga with the powers of a rāhui - it can be hidden so that nobody can render the rāhui ineffective.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 226;)

Ko te tikanga o te kapu kia kore ai e taea taua rāhui te takahi e huhua noa iho e ngaro ai te mana o taua rāhui (Wh4 2004:226). / The purpose of the 'kapu' is so that a rāhui can not be abused by anybody whereby the power of that rāhui dissipates.

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7. (noun) wooden funnel - for feeding a tapu person.

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