1. (verb) (-tia) how? how about? what about? of what sort? of what nature? treat in what way? act in what way? what was it like? - variation of pēhea and an interrogative which can be used as an adjective or an ordinary verb and may be used passively. In colloquial speach a particle preceding pēwhea at the start of a sentence may be omitted, but in formal writing it should be included.