pōwhara
1. (loan) (verb) to be poor, poverty-stricken, broke, hard up, destitute, impoverished.
Ko ngā tāngata e haere ana ki taua waipiro, mā rātou e haere ki roto mate ai, pōwhara ai, tāhae ai, kōhuru ai, puremu ai (KO 14/4/1883:6). / The people who go to liquor, they will go inside to become sick, to be in poverty, to steal, to commit murder and adultery.
See also pōhara
2. (loan) (modifier) poor, in poverty, impoverished, destitute.
Nāna i tini ai he pouaru, he pani, he whakapoto i ngā tau o te tangata, he whakamamae ngākau, he whakamaha i ngā tāngata o ngā whare herehere, o ngā whare pōwhara (KO 15/7/1883:8). / That's why there are so many widows, orphans, shortened life spans, heart ache, and many people in the jails and poor houses.
3. (loan) (noun) poverty, poor person, pauper.
He arawhata tēnei e tuwhera ana ki ngā tāngata katoa, ki ngā rangatira, ki te ware, ki te kīngi, ki te pōwhara (TKO 31/5/1919:3). / This is a stairway open to all people, aristocrats and commoners, kings and the poor.
Synonyms: pōhara, whakapōhara, hāhoretanga, hahoretanga, mūhore, pūhore, tuakoka
