tūkaha
1. (verb) to be strenuous, vigorous, hard, uncompromising, hard-nosed, inflexible, fearless.
Kaua rawa tātou e tūkaha ki tō tātou teina, nō te mea hoki he pōtiki whakatoatoa ia (TWMNT 3/8/1875:177). / Let us not be hard and uncompromising with our younger brother, because he is a forward youngest child.
2. (modifier) vigorous, strenuous, spirited, energetic, forceful, hearty, fiery, headstrong, fearless.
Koirā tonu te wā i whakaaetia te pire whakatū pīhopatanga Māori, ā, uru atu ana a Hōri Tūpaea ki ngā whakawhitiwhiti kōrero tūkaha e mea ana, āe rānei me Māori tūturu te pīhopa hou, me pīhopa Pākehā rānei e mōhio ana ki te kōrero Māori (TTR 1998:234). / That was the time the bill setting up a Māori bishopric was passed, and Hōri Tūpaea took part in the vigorous debate as to whether the new bishop should be a Māori or a Māori-speaking Pākehā.
3. (noun) obstinacy, determination, stubbornness, pigheadedness, intransigence.
Nā te tūkaha o te Kīngi o Īhipa ki te tuku atu i te iwi, ka taupoki ki runga ki a ia te riri nui a Īhowa (MM.TKM 1/2/1855:24). / Because of the obstinacy of the King of Egypt in refusing to let the people go, the vengeance of Jehovah was brought down upon him.
