taupatupatu
1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-tia) to compete, vie with one another, rally (tennis, etc.), debate, argue, call into question, beat one another.
He tikanga nui, he tikanga whai mana te ōhākī, kāore e taupatupatu, e whakatipu kino, ki ngā uri, ki ngā whanaunga rānei (TPH 30/8/1902:3). / The ōhākī (dying speech) is an important custom, one with authority, which will not cause arguments or bad feeling to develop amongst the descendants or the relatives.
2. (modifier) disputed, debated, argued.
He take raupatu te kerēme a Ngāti Toa ki aua whenua taupatupatu (TTR 1994:38). / Ngāti Toa's claim to those disputed lands was by right of conquest.
3. (noun) debate, argument, dispute.
Heoi, hua kore noa āna taupatupatu ki te kaunihera (TTR 1994:87). / However, his debates with the council were quite fruitless.