Tara (i). 1. n. Point, spike, as a thorn, tooth of a comb, spine in the dorsal fin of a fish or in the tail of a sting-ray, spear, etc. Ka whati tana tara (T. 33). Nga tara-a-whai o Arai-te-Uru (P.). Tara-a-Maui, trifoliolate variety of Pseudopanax crassifolium, a tree.
2. Peak of a mountain. Ra te pukohu tairi ana mai te tara Tautari (S.).
3. Horn of the moon. Ka whati ra, e, te tara o te marama (M. 162).
4. Rays of the sun, shafts of light, appearing before sunrise. Pita rawa mai te tara o te ra, kei runga o Pouarua e haere ana (T. 144).
5. Membrum virile.
6. Courage, mettle. He tangata whai tara a Tuwhakairiora. Tara kore, spiritless, subdued.
7. Papillae on the skin. He makariri ka tutū ou tara (Sh.T. 315).
8. Skewer of greenstone, used for fastening a cloak, or for a pendant. Katahi ka wetekina te hei, te tara, te makao (T. 181).
9. v.i. Wane, of the moon, i.e., throw out horns. E tara kau ana te marama, apopo mate ai.
10. Shoot out rays, as the sun just before rising.
11. Throw out second pair of leaves, after seed leaves, as a gourd; such leaves are called rau tara.
12. v.t. Disturb, ruffle. Na wai i tara ai te wai? (A proverbial expression for causing a discussion.)
13. Affect by incantation. E Whare e, taraa te rangi kia mao ai (W. v, 50).
14. a. Rough. Ua tara, hail.
whakatara, v.t. 1. Challenge, put on one's mettle.
2. Invoke, consult. Ka whakataraa te atua (T. 112). Ko nga ara whakatara, he harakeke no te tatuatanga o taua wahine, waiho tonu iho hei ara whakataki (M. Ixxvii).
3. n. Tattoo marks beside the nose.
tātara, n. 1. A rough cape made from the leaves of kiekie or flax.
2. Charonia capax and C. capax euclioides, conch-shells, used as a wind instrument.
= pu-tātara, puputara, tuteure.
3. Fence.
4. A shrub.
5. Certain feathers of the kotuku (white heron). = tātarahake.
6. Ornamental work on the maihi of a rua kumara.
taratara. 1. n. Spine, spike. Taratara o Kal, a pattern of carving and of ornamental weaving.
2. A short stick used in setting a tawhitl trap. ‖ Tr. xli, 247.
3. Stakes of fence.
4. a. Prickly, rough.
5. Barbed. Na Maui-atamai te here i whakataratara te matamata, na reira i mau ai te manu ana werohia ki taua tahere: ko te here a Maui-wareware, kihai i taratara te mata (W. ii, 112).
6. Offensive. Nau koa nge au, atratara rawa a taua mahi (M. 145).
whakataratara, v.t. Make rough, notch, fit with a barb. Ko te whara o te pukaea he mea whakataratara (The mouth of thepukaeawas ornamented with notches). ‖ taratara, 5.
Williams Dictionary
Tara (ii). 1. v.i. Make a buzzing, rattling, or other inarticulate sound; stridulate. Te kihikihi tara ki te waru (Sh.T. 315).
2. v.t. Gossip. Kaore te whakama ki oku korero, e taraa e te ngutu (M. 18). Tara atu koutou i oku korero (M. 139). Korero tara, fable, story.
3. n. Gossip, scandal. E hika ma, whaka-rongo mai ki te tara ka iriwharetia (M. 200). Te tito atu ai koe i tou tara ware (M. 346).
whakatara, v.t. and n. Chaff, banter.
tātara, n. Rattle worn on a dog's neck when hunting kakapo. ‖ kakara.
tatara, a. Rattling, buzzing, making an indistinct sound.
‖ tararau, tarawau.
Williams Dictionary
Tara (iii), n. Sterna striata, tern, and other species; sea birds. Tara iti, S. nereis, called
page 387
also tara teo, tara teoteo; tara nui, Hydroprogne caspia; tara kakao, Limosa lapponica baueri = kuaka, godwit; tara punga, Larus novaehollandiae scopulinus, red-billed gull = karehakoa, katate, makora, taketake. Also called tarā punga, which is also applied to Hydropogne caspia. These names are frequently written as single words. Pokai tara, fig., band of chiefs. E kimi ana i te ara i haere ai taku pokai tara ki te tonga (M. 387). Taku pokai tara punga, e tu ki te muriwai o Waipara (M. 111).
Williams Dictionary
Tara (v). 1. v.t. Loosen, separate. Wetea te tau o o kahu, taraa te tau o o korua pueru (M. 296).
2. a. Brisk. Ka tara te karakia, ka ngahau; he tohu ora ki te riri.—Ka tara te riri (The fight is raging). Applied to the peculiar trotting motion of warriors in the unuunu of a war dance. Kia tara te haere.
taranga, n. Separation. Te rokohanga te taranga i a taua ka mihi mamao au ki te iwi raia (M. 17). Waitara, ko te taranga o nga waewae o Turi (T. 113).
tatara, a 1. Loose, untied.
2. Quick, active.
3. Distant. He mea nei te tane ka tatara ki tawhiti (S.).
taratara, v.t. Scatter about. ‖ matara.
Williams Dictionary
