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Idioms

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Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

taipū

1. (verb) to be heaped up.

He nui anō ngā whare i whiua e te wai ki waenganui o ngā rori i ngā tāone ki reira taipū ai, ko ētahi ka toru ka whā rau iāri e kāhakina haeretia ana ka potapota noa (TWMNT 6/10/1874:256). / Many houses were thrown into the middle of the roads by the water where they were piled up, some were carried three or four hundred yards and were smashed into pieces.

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2. (noun) heap, pile, stack.

Te hokinga mai o te wahine rā i Pōneke rokohanga mai ko te taipū tangata e takoto ana i roto i tōna whare, arā ko tāna tāne me ana tamariki (TJ 12/10/1899:11). / When that woman returned from Wellington she came upon the pile of people lying in her house, that is her husband and her children.

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Synonyms: tōhīanga, purawhetū, kauika, whakapū, whakaputu, whakarae, kōputu, pūhanga, pūkainga, putunga, whakarauika, whakapipi, whārona, pūkai, whakaputunga, haupū, pūkei


3. (noun) sand hill, sand dune.

Piki ake ki te tihi o te taipū kia pai ai te titiro ki te moana (PK 2008:819). / Climb to the top of the sand dune so that you have a good view of the sea.
Tipu ai te horokaka i ngā taipū me ngā tāmore toka puta noa i te motu. / The New Zealand ice-plant grows on dunes and rocky outcrops throughout the country.

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Synonyms: tāhuahua

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