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Loan words

Historical loan words

pōhēhē

1. (verb) (-tia) to misunderstand, think mistakenly.

I pōhēhē au nō te tau 1943 i wera ai, ā, i rāwāhi au i taua wā (HP 1991:6). / I thought mistakenly that it was burnt down in 1943 - I was overseas at that time.
He kiritea tōna konohi, ā, ka pōhēhētia he hāwhe-kāehe ia (HP 1991:24). / His face was fair-skinned and he was mistaken for a half-caste.

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2. (verb) to be at one's wit's end, bewildered, perplexed.

Nāwai ā, kua pōhēhē noa iho ngā whakaaro kua pōrauraha noa iho, kātahi ka āhua ngāwari te hau, ka paneke hoki te haere o ā rātou poti, kāore hoki i roa ka kitea e rātou te whenua (TWMNT 17/11/1874:284). / After a time they became bewildered and confused and then the wind abated somewhat and their boats made progress and it wasn't long before they saw land.

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Synonyms: pōkaikaha, raruraru, raparapa, raru, pōkahu, pōkeka, pōritarita, pōrangirangi, pōrauraha, raumahara, pōrahurahu, tuarangaranga, harapuka, pōrahu, rararu, raupeka


3. (modifier) mistaken, in error, confused, deluded, perplexed, misguided.

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). / And take heed that the councils of the foolish do not prevail, and that the whole country is not thrown into anarchy and confusion by the folly of a few misguided men.

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Synonyms: wawau


4. (noun) mistake, error, misunderstanding, blunder.

Ka whakaaro ake au kāore e pahure i taku tama te hiki i te pouaka āporo, engari e, nōku tēnā pōhēhē. / I thought that my son wouldn't be able to lift the box of apples, but that was my blunder.

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Synonyms: pōhēhētanga, , hapa, horihori, hori, hēnga, hēanga, pōhauhau, pōkaku

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