pōauau
1. (verb) to be confused, bewildered, mistaken.
Nā ka pōauau noa iho rātou, ka patu hoki i taua tangata, ka mea hoki nāna i mākutu i mate ai ā rātou kau, ā rātou hipi (TK 1/3/1844:13). / Now they were quite mistaken and killed that man thinking that he was responsible for the sorcery that killed their cows and sheep.
2. (modifier) confused, bewildered, mistaken.
Me whakaaro nui, me tūpato hoki, kei pēhia te tika e te whakaaro o te hunga pōauau, kei raru te whenua katoa i te turekore, i te hē, i runga i te mahi wairangi a ētahi tāngata whakaaro pōhēhē (MM.TKM 14/7/1860:12). / Think hard and be carefully lest the right decisions are overcome by the ideas of the foolish, lest the whole country is thrown into anarchy and confusion by the folly of a few misguided men.
3. (noun) confusion, bewilderment.
Ko ngā iwi nunui katoa o te ao, ko ngā iwi kaha, he iwi mātau. Kāore he painga o te pōauau ahakoa pakari te tinana (TTT 1/8/1930:2121). / All the great nations of the world, the strong nations, are knowledgable. There's no benefit from being bewildered even if the body is sturdy.
