whakahaehae
1. (verb) (-a,-tia) to cut into, lacerate, intrude, create divisions.
I ēnei rā kua riro ko te whenua te mea nui e whakahaehae nei i te ao Māori (H 1992:36). / These days land is the major thing that creates divisions in the Māori world.
Synonyms: haehae, hahae, hae, harakuku, hōripi, rarapi, hōripiripi, whakangaeke
2. (modifier) terrifying, frightening, scary.
He toa, he atua whakahaehae tonu atu! (TTR 1990:260). / He was a warrior, a terrifying demon!
Synonyms: whakamataku
3. (modifier) ghostly, eerie, haunted.
Hei te whitinga iho o te marama, ka kaha kē atu te mā o ngā pōhatu i roto i te pōuri, ka kī katoa au i te wehi i te āhua o aua mea whakahaehae (TWK 17:2). / When the moon shone down the whiteness of the stones in the dark was exaggerated and I was filled with fear by the look of those ghostly things.
