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Loan words

Historical loan words

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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

keka

1. (verb) to be mentally deranged, beside oneself with grief, hysterical, temporarily deranged, lose it.

Nā te takakinotanga o tōna whānau e ngā hōia, kua keka ia. / Because of the torture of her extended family by the soldiers, she became deranged.

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2. (noun) insanity, madness, lunacy.

Riro ana mā ngā kaiwhakawā e āta wānanga he mahi pokerehū rānei, he kawenga rānei nā te keka, i mōhio pū rānei e aha ana ia (HJ 2015:95). / It was up to the judges to carefully consider whether it was an accident, a result of insanity, or whether he actually knew what he was doing.

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3. (noun) madman, bigot.

Ko te tangata kīhai e aro ki te whakaaro nui, he keka. Ko tērā kīhai e āhei ki te whakaaro nui he hākawa. Ko te mea kīhai e noho ki te āta whakaaro ka noho taurekareka noa (Milroy 2016). / He that will not reason is a bigot. He that cannot reason is a fool. He that dares not reason is a slave (Milroy 2016).

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4. (noun) lament, rhythmic chant without actions.

He keka nā Koropanga mō ana tamariki (G 1853:84). / A lament by Koropanga for her children.

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See also pōkeka

Synonyms: matatangitangi, takuate, tūkeka, rutu, mōteatea, tangi, uhunga, waiata tangi, apakura, pihe, rurutu, taurere, mihi

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