nakunaku
1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-tia) to reduce to fragments.
Ka whāngahia ngā peka ki te waha o te taniwha kai rākau, ka nakunakua mai e te puku, ka kōrere mai te kotakota i te tou (PK 2008:489). / The branches are fed into the mouth of that wood eating monster, they're minced up by the innards and then the chips are ejected at the rear end.
Synonyms: māhurehure
2. (verb) to be disconnected, disjointed.
Ā, tētehi, i mārama tōna karakia, ā, nakunaku ana tōna reo, kīhai i mārama ngā kupu, ka kīia tēnā 'he whakapuru', ka pērā anō tōna mōhio, ko ia anō (JPS 1894:207). / And another thing, his karakia may be quite clear, but presently it is disjointed, and the words are not clear; this is called a 'whakapuru', and he knows at once he will be a victim.
3. (verb) (-a,-tia) to digest (food).
Ka roa tonu e nakunakua ana ētahi kai pērā i te mīti, engari ko te panana me te miraka, he māmā noa ki te nakunaku (PK 2008:489). / Some foods, like meat, take quite a long time to digest, but bananas and milk are digested quite easily.
4. (modifier) broken in pieces, crushed, minced.
Mahia ai te tōtiti ki te mīti nakunaku me te parāoa (PK 2008:489). / Sausages are made of minced meat and flour.
Synonyms: mōrohe
5. (noun) digestion.
