wero
1. (verb) (-hia,-ngia) to pierce, spear, challenge, stab, poke, jab, bite, puncture, sting (of an insect), inject.
Ko tētahi mea hē rawa, ko te raweke a ētahi o ā rāua tamariki i ngā kēne whurutu, arā, he mea wero ngā tini, kātahi ka unumia te wai, ka whakahokia ki runga i ngā whata (TTR 1996:60). / One problem was that some of their children would meddle with the cans of fruit, that is they would puncture the tins, drink the juice and put them back on the shelves.
2. (noun) piercing, stabbing, injection, spine (of a stingray).
E kīia ana ka mutu te wero ki te peneti ka hurihia ko ngā raparapa o ngā pū hei patu haere i te hoariri (TKO 8/1915:4). / It is said that when the stabbing with the bayonet ended the guns were reversed to kill the enemy with the butt of the gun.
Synonyms: kōtaratara, werowero, tīwharawhara, pākinakina
3. (noun) bite, sting (of an insect, etc.).
E te mate kei hea tōu wero? (PT I Koroniti 15:55). / O death, where is thy sting?
4. (noun) challenge.
Hei ētahi wā anō hoki kua kuhuna he kōrero hei whakakata i ngā kaiwhakarongo, engari, he wero anō kei roto i ngā kōrero (Rewi 2005:64). / And sometimes a story was added to make the listeners laugh, but there would be a challenge in the words.
5. (noun) challenge at a pōhiri.
Kei te haere te ruri, ka kōkiri a Nehe Te Wehi o Tūranga me te wero ki te Kuīni (TWK 19:31). / While the short song was being performed, Nehe Te Wehi darted forward with the challenge to the Queen.
