tāwhai
1. (verb) (-tia) to stretch out, step out, pace, stride, move the limbs alternately.
Kaua hai titiro ki raro rā anō, engari ki ō waewae noa iho i a koe e tāwhai haere atu ana (HP 1991:58). / Don't look at the bottom, but just at your feet as you stride along.
Synonyms: whetoko, tāwhaiwhai
2. (verb) (-tia) to travel over, traverse.
Ka tāwhai atu i Tīoripātea ki roto o Murihiku (TTR 1990:368). / They traversed Haast Pass and into Southland.
3. (verb) (-tia) to imitate, impersonate, mimic.
Taea ai e te tūī te tāwhai ngā reo o ētahi atu manu, tae rawa ki te tangata (Te Ara 2014). / Tūī can imitate the sounds of other birds and people.
Synonyms: whakahuahua, whakatau
4. (verb) (-tia) to trace, copy.
Whakatakotoria he pepa angiangi ki runga ake o te pikitia e hiahia ana koe ki te tāwhai, kia kitea tonutia ai te whakaahua i raro iho, ka tuhi ai i te hua ki te pepa o runga ake (HJ 2012:195). / Lay thin paper on top of the picture that you are wanting to trace, so that the image can be seen, then draw the outline onto the paper on top.
5. (verb) to rival.
E kore e taea te tāwhai te whare o Ngāti Toa (W 1971:407). / It's not possible to rival Ngāti Toa's house.
Synonyms: tautētete, wheinga, kātata, hoa kakari, tauwhāinga
6. (noun) stepping, striding.
Ka haere atu māua ki te taiapa pōkaikai haere, tūtū, arā, kua meatia e ngā tāngata nei ki runga i taua pōkai waea takitaki, e rua ngā papa, pai noa iho tā rātau tāwhai atu ki runga i ngā papa, ka tāwhai atu ki waho (HP 1991:172). / We went to the roll of fencing where these men had placed two boards on the rolls of fence wire so that their stepping on the boards and walking out was a simple matter.
