kōwhiowhio
1. (verb) to whistle.
E umere noa ana, e pakipaki noa ana, e kōwhiowhio noa ana, e hāparangi noa ana, nā te pai noa o te kai a te mata engari ko tua atu he aha te aha! (HM 2/1994:1) / They were just applauding, clapping, and shouting out because they looked good, but beyond that what else was there!
2. (noun) whistling spirits.
Ka mōhio ngā Māori nei he tūrehu, he patupaiarehe, he aparangi, he atua kahukahu, kōwhiowhio (TP 1/1911:5). / These Māori perceived that they were tūrehu, patupaiarehe (fair-skinned mythical beings of human form), evil spirits, spirits of unborn children and whistling spirits.
3. (noun) whistle.
Kātahi te kaiwhakatere ka kite i te kāhui erepata (kurī nui rawa nei) e haere mai ana i runga i te raina o te rerewē. Kātahi ia ka whakatangi i te kōwhiowhio (TWMNT 18/9/1877:194). / Then the driver saw the herd of elephants (very large animals) travelling towards him on the railway line. Then he blew the whistle.
4. (noun) blue duck, Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos - blue-grey duck with a pale pink bill found along fast-flowing mountain streams and rivers in native forest and tussock grassland. Named after the call of the male bird.
See also whio
