whakapeau
1. (verb) (-a,-tia) to turn away, divert, redirect.
Kaua e whakapeaua kētia te whakawā; kaua hoki e whakapai kanohi; kaua anō e tango i te utu whakapati: he mea whakamatapō hoki te utu whakapati i ngā kanohi o te hunga whakaaro nui, he mea whakapeau kē i ngā kupu a te hunga tika (PT Tiuteronomi 16:19). / Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
2. (modifier) diverting, perverting.
E mahara ana mātou e whiua ana he puehu ki roto ki ngā kanohi o ngā Mema o te Pāremete kia matapōtia ai; ā, ahakoa he reo mana kore tō mātou reo, e mea ana mātou he tika kia hamumu ake mātou ki te whakahoki i tēnei mahi whakapeau kē i te pono (TWMNT 2/10/1878:54). / We consider that dust is being thrown into the eyes of the Members of Parliament so that they are blinded, and, despite our voice lacking influence, we consider it right to raise it to respond to this perversion of the truth.
Synonyms: whakatapeha
3. (noun) misrepresentation, distortion, perversion, diversion.
Ahakoa kua mōhio 'Te Wananga' ki ēnei kōrero a Te Ritimana ka anga ia ka mahi i ana mahi tonu, arā he whakapeau kē i te kōrero hei whakawai i ngā Māori e kōrero ana i taua nūpepa (TWMNT 6/2/1877:43). / Although 'Te Wananga' knows these statements of Mr Richmond it acts in its usual way, that is, it misrepresents the facts for the purpose of misleading the Māori reading that newspaper.
Synonyms: whakariroi, whakanewha, whakakotiti
