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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

awhi

1. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to embrace, hug, cuddle, cherish.

Ka haria atu ana mokopuna ki a ia. Ka awhi ia i a rātau (HP 1991:108). / His grandchildren were taken to him and he hugged them.

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2. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to surround.

E awhi ana i te tēneti o Ngāti Porou ko nga tēneti ririki o Te Whānau-a-Apanui (TP 1/7/1901:8). / Surrounding Ngāti Porou's tent were the small tents of Te Whānau-a-Apanui.

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3. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to sit on (eggs), brood.

Kotahi marama te uha e awhi ana i ōna hua, kātahi ka pao mai ngā pīpī (HM 4/1998:4). / The hen sits on her eggs for one month and then the chicks hatch.

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4. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to besiege.

I te awhi rātau i Moumoukai mō ngā rā e toru, ka haere (HP 1991:28). / They besieged Moumoukai for three days and then left.

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5. (noun) embracing, embrace, adoption, adopting.

I tere tonu te awhi a Te Wheoro i ngā tikanga whakahaere moni a te Pākehā me ngā whare hanga kaupapa (TTR 1990:336). / Te Wheoro quickly embraced Pākehā financial practices and institutions.

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6. (noun) siege.

I tōna mōhiotanga e noho kore kai ana, ka hīkina te awhi (TTR 1990:380). / When he realised that they were starving he lifted the siege.

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Synonyms: pakipaki


7. (noun) border.

Ā ko te hanganga tēnei o ngā tūranga: i whai awhi, ā i ngā takiwā o ngā karapiti ngā awhi (PT 1Kīngi 7:28). / And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges.

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