pakeke
1. (verb) to be grown up, adult, mature, hard, severe, harsh, difficult.
He pakeke ake a Rihimona i a au (HP 1991:20). / Rihimona was older than me.
Synonyms: taipakeke, tūpakeke, pakari, taikaumātua, koeke, whatutoto, whakapakeke, pāhake
2. (modifier) difficult.
He ngāwari ngā kupu o te waiata nei, kāore ngā kupu pakeke rawa o te reo Māori (M 2004:44). / The words of this song are simple, there are no difficult words of the Māori language.
3. (noun) adult.
Ka okeoke haere, ka whanawhana, ka tangi i te mamae, ko ngā pakeke, ka āmai mehemea ka tū (TTT 1/3/1928:742). / They toss about, kick and cry with pain and the adults become giddy if they stand up.
4. (noun) age, maturity.
Ka mauria anō ia ki te whare herehere mō te marama kotahi, ahakoa tana pakeke me tana hanga mate (TTR 1990:357). / He was taken to prison for one month, despite his age and ill health.
Synonyms: pakari, poutūmārō, poutūmārōtanga
5. (noun) New Zealand sole, common sole, Peltorhamphus novaezeelandiae - a fish greenish-grey on top, white beneath, with a rounded snout and a mouth not quite at the very front of the snout, hidden by a hook-like projection. The body is oval-elongate with a broad head and small eyes. Endemic occuring throughout coastal Aotearoa/New Zealand as far south as Southland. Inhabits sandy substrata in subtidal area to around 55 m.
See also pātiki rori
Synonyms: horihori, pātiki rore, raututu, tarore, pātiki rori