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Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

ngahau

1. (verb) to be enjoyable, entertaining, interesting.

Ki tana kī, he roa e oho ana i ngā pō e kōrero paki ana, ā, ngahau ana ngā mahi (TTR 1996:8). / According to his account, they were awake late at night yarning and it was great fun.

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2. (verb) to be lush, hearty, brisk.

He tātāhou tēnā wāhi, nā reira i ngahau ai te tupu o te kai (W 1971:393). / That place is virgin soil, so the growth of the crop was lush.

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Synonyms: matomato, ngaore, tāmaota


3. (modifier) enjoyable, entertaining, interesting.

Ko ngā kōrero ngahau kua tāia nei nā te Māori katoa, nā Ngāti Porou (RK 1994:7). / The interesting stories published here are all by Māori, by Ngāti Porou.

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4. (noun) entertainment, dance,  amusement, enjoyment, concert.

I tō māua ngahau atu ki a rātau e kaukau ana, ka tīmata māua ki te tarapekepeke me te hāparangi o ō māua waha ki te karanga atu ki ētahi o rātau kia kaha, kia tere (HP 1991:21). / Because we were enjoying them swimming, we began to jump up and down and yell out to call to some of them to go hard, and fast.

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