kōwhā
1. (verb) (-ngia,-tia) to split open, take out of the shell, shuck, to husk.
Synonyms: tīwarawara
2. (verb) to burst open, split apart.
I a au e tamariki ana ka homai ētahi merengi e tētahi tangata ki a au, engari, nā te taumaha o aua merengi ka taka tētahi, ā, ka kōwhā. / When I was young, a man gave me some water melons, but because those melons were so heavy I dropped one and it burst open.
3. (verb) to flash (e.g. lightning).
Ka puta he marangai nui, ka heke te ua, ka kōwhā te uira, ka haruru te whatitiri (TTT 1/3/1927:559). / A big storm appeared and the rain fell, the lightning flashed and the thunder clapped.
4. (noun) summer lightning.
Ka whakakūkupa i a ia, ka haere ia i roto i te mura o te ahi, i te āwhiowhio, i te hau, i te uira, i te kōwhā, i te whatitiri (JPS 1929:22). / He assumed the form of a pigeon and flew into the flames of the fire, the whirlwind, the wind, the lightning, the summer lightning and the thunder.
