whakamākūkū
1. (verb) (-ria,-tia) to moisten, dampen, irrigate.
Otirā ināianei kua tīmata anō rātou ki te hanga waikeri hei kawe mai i te wai o ngā maunga hei whakamākūkū i ngā māra ina ka puta he raki ki te whenua (KO 20/11/1886:5). / But now they have again begun to build canals to bring the water of the mountains to irrigate the gardens when droughts occur.
2. (modifier) damp, moist.
Me horohoroi te tinana ki te kaka whakamākūkū ki te wai mahana paku nei (TTT 1/8/1928:834). / The body should be washed with a cloth dampened with a little warm water.
Synonyms: mākū, toriwai, haumākū, kōpūtoitoi, tōwahiwahi, tōwāwahi, hauwai, monoku
3. (noun) moistening, dampening, watering, irrigation.
I ngā wā maroke he mea pai te whakamākūkū i ngā puke ki te wai, kia ngoto ai te tipu a ngā paukena (TTT 1/10/1922:6). / In dry spells it pays to water the mounds so that the growth of the pumpkins is vigorous.
