tapotu
1. (verb) to reach the bottom (of a hill, etc.), reach to the ground, brought down to the water.
Nō te taenga ki te awa nui o Ōtaki, arā ki tāwāhi mai o te whare o Kerei ka tapotu te hōiho ki te wai. Kātahi ka kau te hōiho (TKP 8/2/1858:3). / When he reached the main river of Ōtaki, that is acroos the water from Grey's house the horse was taken down to the water. Then the began to swim across.
2. (modifier) low-lying.
He mea anō ka riro i ngā Māori te mahinga awa wai mō aua wāhi tapotu (KO 14/4/1883:3). / Another thing done by the Māori was making the ditches for those low-lying places.
Synonyms: hakahaka, tāpotupotu
