Tātai. 1. v.t. Measure. Tataia te whare kia tika ai.—Ko te Wharetutu e tatai atu ana i te kiritai o te pa (Pi. 143, 3). So perhaps tātai rakau, measure weapons, fight.
2. Arrange, set in order. E tataia te mahanga (M. 98). Kia ata tatai i te korero, kei pokapoka; engari kia uhono noa atu. Used of setting out pegs for the guidance of kumara planters.
3. Recite genealogies, etc. So tatai tupuna, tatai korero, tatai hono, kapiti hono.
4. Adorn, deck. Katahi te tamahine ka tahuri ki te tatai i a ia (Pi. 133, 11). Ka ki te tahaāki te hinu, ka whaiwaewaetia, ka tataia ki te huruhuru kereru.—Kapatau he mata toki pounamu, e tu te tatai o te whakairo (P.).
5. Apply as ornament. Ka mauria mai e Tane nga kura, ka tataitia (Tr. vii, 33). Ka tikina nga whetu, ka kawea, ka tataitia (i.e., they were set as ornaments in the sky) (Tr. vii, 33).
6. Join the component parts of a fishing net. Ka tukua te tangata ki te tatai i nga kupenga a Marutuahu (T. 142).
7. In the expression tatai aro rangi, study the heavens for guidance in navigation, etc. Ko te Kawana hei whiu atu ki tawhiti kia tatai aro rangi (S. 45).
8. v.i. Be ranged in order. Tatai kau ana te whetu o te rangi (M. 28).
9. n. Plan, purpose. He tatai pai taku tatai.—Taku titiro noa i waenga i te hono tatai (M. 229). Ka huaia mai e Koikoi a taua tatai.
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10. Stroke with a weapon, tactics. Koinei tana tatai he ahei i te rakau.
11. Line of ancestry.
12. Company. Ko Pakihi-kanui, ko Pakihihewahewa, ka mutu taua tatai wahine a Tangaroa (Tr. vii, 44). Tātai whetu, cluster of stars, constellation.
13. Omen. Mehemea ka rangona te kereru e tangi ana i te po, he tatai, he mate, he aitua. Sometimes called tatai mate. ‖ J. vii, 129.
Williams Dictionary
