tūtai
1. (verb) (-a,-tia) to keep watch, spy, scout out, keep under surveillance, watch.
Ko te kōrero hoki e tūtai ana a Te Whiwhi, arā, ko ia i te whāwhāki ki a Kāwana Hōri Kerei mō te āhua o ngā putunga kariri ki te rohe o Pari-ā-rua (Porirua) (TTR 1990:345). / Te Whiwhi is said to have kept surveillance for Governor George Grey, informing him about ammunition stores in the Porirua district.
See also tūtei
Synonyms: tūtei
2. (noun) scout, spy.
E mahi wehi ana ngā tāngata mahi i roto i ngā tari katoa o te kāwanatanga; e kore e mōhio te tangata ki tōna hoa e tuhituhi ana i tōna taha he kaitirotiro pea nā te kāwanatanga, he tūtai (TWMNT 9/11/1878:109). / The people working in all the departments of the public service work in fear; a person won't know if the colleague writing next to him is a government spy.
Synonyms: torotoro, ārohi, hunuhunu, hūhunu, pūrahorua, tāpae, tūtei, toro
