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Historical loan words

whakahāmama

1. (verb) (-tia) to open the mouth.

I tētahi purei takete i ngā takiwā ki Merika, kotahi te Pākehā i katohia te upoko e tētahi o ngā raiona. I te wā ka mutu te whakatakaro a taua Pākehā i ngā raiona, kātahi ka whakahāmamatia e ia te waha o tētahi, kātahi ka kuhu i tōna upoko ki roto; nō te kamunga iho o te waha o te raiona, motu rua te kakī (TJ 8/12/1898:3). / At a circus in the states of America a Pākehā's head was plucked off by one of the lions. At the time that the Pākehā was making the lions perform he made one of the lions open its mouth then he put his head inside. When the lion shut its mouth his neck was severed.

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Synonyms: hāmama

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