ohooho
1. (verb) to be awake, alert, of great value, needing care.
Ohooho ana ngā kau, ina whakatuwhera ia i tō rātou taiepa, piri ana te hiore o tana kurī ki waenganui o ngā waewae ka titiro kōtaha mai, mehemea nei e whakaaro ana kei te riri rānei tana ariki, kei te pēhea rānei (TH 1/12/1859:3). / The cows are alert when he opens their paddock and his dog's tail is between its legs and it looks sideways to see whether his master is angry or how his mood is.
2. (modifier) alert, awake.
He manu ohooho te koreke, ka whiti, ka rere, i konei ka rongohia te pakipaki o ana huruhuru (Te Ara 2016). / The New Zealand quail was an alert bird and when disturbed it would fly off and that's when the whirring of feathers was heard.
3. (noun) treasure of immense value.
Ko tōku reo, tōku ohooho, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku whakakai marihi (HM 2/1990). / My language is my precious gift, my object of affection and my prized ornament.
