pōkaikaha
1. (verb) to be confused, at a loss, in doubt, perplexed, mystified, baffled, flustered, bewildered, stressed out, flummoxed, bamboozled.
Ko ngā tamariki pēpe e moemoe ana i taua wā kātahi ka whakaarahia, ka pōkaikaha noa iho rātau ki te kimikimi i ō rātau pūtu me ō rātau kahu mahana, i te mea e rere ana te puaheiri i taua wā, me te hau hoki e pupuhi ana (TPH 10/1/1906:3). / The young children were asleep at that time when they were made to get up and they hurriedly looked for their boots and warm clothes because the snow was falling and the wind blowing.
Synonyms: raumahara, paraparau, pōrangirangi, pōrauraha, tuarangaranga, harapuka, pōhēhē, pōrahu, rararu, raupeka, raruraru, raparapa, raru, pōkahu, pōkeka, pōritarita, pōrahurahu
2. (modifier) perplexing, puzzling, mysterious, baffling.
Ka haere a Te Kooti ki te whakatuwheratanga, ka kī ia i tana kupu pōkaikaha, arā, mā te hau a roto e pupuhi (TTR 1994:47). / Te Kooti attended the opening and predicted in his perplexing words, that the wind would blow through it.
Synonyms: pōkīkī, pōrahurahu, porehu, māminga
3. (noun) confusion, uncertainty, doubt, perplexity.
Nā te maha o ngā tuhinga rerekētanga i tōna ingoa, i kaha kē atu ai te pōkaikaha (TTR 1996:217). / Because there were so many written versions of his name, it had added to the confusion.
