ninihi
1. (verb) to move stealthily, surprise.
I taua pō anō ka ninihi mai te hoariri ki te whakatoke i a rātou i tō rātou kāinga (PK 2008:1141). / That same night the enemy crept up to attack them by surprise in their village.
Synonyms: whakahengi, whakamomoka, whakamokamoka, whakaninihi, whakatōkihi, whakakoko, koropuku
2. (modifier) steep, precipitous.
E 60 ana tāngata i matemate ka taui a Te Kooti ki te pā tawhito i te tihi ninihi o Ngātapa (TTR 1990:87). / After losing about 60 of his followers, Te Kooti retreated to an ancient pā on the steep summit of Ngātapa.
Synonyms: tāhekeheke, kānihinihi, kaninihi, taparere, tūparipari, hūkere
3. (modifier) neap (tide).
Synonyms: kōwheuwheu
4. (noun) surprise attacking party.
Ka huna te ninihi i te taha o te ara, ka tatari kia puta mai te ope taua (PK 2008:499). / The surprise attacking party hid beside the path and waited until the war party appeared.
