rahi
1. (verb) to be large, big, numerous, great, plentiful.
Ka rahi haere te tāone o Ākarana ka uru atu ia ki ngā whakahaere (TTR 1990:210). / As the town of Auckland expanded he became involved in its affairs.
Synonyms: pōike, ngahiri, ngeangea, oha, rarawe, rari, hāwere, ngahoro, pukahu, papata, wene, tuarea, huhua, makiu, maruru, mahamaha, makehua, rea, tini, tokomaha, maha, tuauriuri, kūpara, hira, matarahi, rarahi, katete, korahi, tetere, matararahi, mātua, nunui, whakahara, mokorahi, pūhetī, kaitā, mātuatua, mokorarahi, pūwharu, whakatikotiko, pūharu, pūwheti, tuangea, ruarangi, nui
2. (modifier) big, large.
Nā te kaha nui o te ngākau whakapuke, me te ihupiro ki ngā mahi kaute tētahi wāhi rahi tonu o aua mate (TTR 1996:104). / A big part of those problems was due to excessive enthusiasm and to inexperience in accounting.
3. (noun) size, greatness.
Ka mea atu ētahi, “E Kupe! Pēnei pea te rahi me Hawaiki nei? Me Rarotonga, me Rangi-ātea me ērā atu motu?” (JPS 1914:191). / Others asked, “O Kupe! Is the size of the land the same as Hawaiki? Like Rarotonga and Rangi-ātea and the other islands?”
4. (noun) importance, important person, important people.
He tangata atawhai nui ia ki te tāpae kai ki ngā tāngata katoa me ka tae ki tōna kāinga; e kore rawa hoki e tukua e ia te tira manuhiri kia haere ana, āpānoa kia takoto he hākari māna ki ia tangata ki ia tangata o rātou, te iti me te rahi (TWMNT 21/4/1874:95). / He was a generous person who provided food to everybody if they visited his village; he would never ever let a party of visitors leave until he had laid out a feast for each person, whether of lowly status or of importance.
