me/mai/mei kore (noa) (rā) e ...
1. in case ... may, in the hope that, were fortunate, to see whether, if it were not for, just in case, on the off chance - used before a verb to introduce a clause expressing a purpose where there is some doubt that it will be fulfilled.
Ko tā rātou mahi, he āta tiaki i ngā kākāpō i te ao, i te pō, mei kore noa rā e taea te whakaora ake tērā tino manu o Aotearoa (HKK 1999:200). / Their job was to carefully look after the kākāpō day and night, in the hope that that important bird of Aotearoa/New Zealand could be saved.
Kātahi ka whakatika ko ngā turupa Pākehā, ka ahu ki uta whaka-te-taha o ngā hiwi, mei kore e tūpono ki tētahi ope o te hoariri (TWMNT 21/10/1865:37). / Then the Pākehā troops set out, heading inland along the sides of the hills in the hope that they would encounter an enemy contingent.
Haere ki reira pātai haere ai me kore noa e tūpono kei reira kē tāu e kimi nei. / Go and ask over there on the off chance that what you are looking for is there.
See also me kore e
Synonyms: kei tūpono, me kore noa e tūpono
