whakapāpaku
1. (verb) (-tia) to make low, reduce in depth.
Ko ngā raorao katoa ka whakarewaina ake, ko ngā maunga katoa me ngā pukepuke, ka whakapāpakutia iho: ko ngā wāhi kōpikopiko ka meinga kia tika, ko ngā wāhi taratara kia papatairite (PT Ihaia 40:4). / Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.
2. (verb) (-tia) to humble, lower in dignity, humiliate, abase, debase, demean.
3. (noun) reduction in depth.
Kore ana e paneke te kaipuke, me nga tikanga hokohoko ka whakahēngia; tētahi he whakapāpaku i ngā awa ki te onepū, he tanuku nō ngā tahataha, he whakangaro i ngā whenua whakatupu kai e takoto haere ana kei ngā tahataha (TWMNT 28/7/1874:184). / The ships aren't able to move and there is a detrimental affect on trade. There is a reduction in depth of the rivers with sand because of the collapse of the river banks and the agricultural land has been inundated along the river banks.
4. (noun) self-effacement, humility, modesty, unpretentiousness.
I taku taenga atu ki a ia, ka kōrero māua, kore rawa e mōhiotia atu he tangata mātauranga, i te kaha o tona whakapāpaku i a ia (HP 1991:48). / When I met him we talked and one would never know that he was a knowledgeable person because of his self-effacement.
