whātatai
1. (verb) to stretch out the neck, crane forward, gaze intently.
Otirā kāore i tino whakatuwheratia te tatau i taua wā, i whakamatatatia kautia mai kāore i whakatuwheratia, nō reira whakatātare kau atu, whātatai kau atu, kāore he mea i kitea atu (HKW 1/1/1902:9). / But the door was not opened much at that time, it was only just open, not properly open, and so one could just crane forward and peer in, but nothing could be seen.