Wehewehe Wikiwiki

1. vt., To pinch or nip off, as a bud.

• Examples:
  • ʻAko poʻo ʻōʻū, to cut off all the hair at the back of the head and leave hair only in front.
  • E ʻōʻū i ka maka o ka wauke ʻoi ʻōpiopio, pinch off the bud of the wauke plant while it is young [nip it in the bud; teach while young].

2. vi., To perch, as on a tree.

• Figuratively, lazy.
• Examples:
  • ʻŌʻū ō loa nā manu o Kaupeʻa (chant), the birds of Kaupeʻa [sing] long as they perch.
• Related:
  • hōʻōʻū Caus/sim.; To cause to perch.

3. n., A finch-like Hawaiian honey creeper (Psittirostra psittacea 🌐), with an almost parrot-like bill, endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands, but becoming very rare. Its green feathers were used for making cloaks and leis.

• Examples:
  • ʻAuhea wale ʻoe, ē ka manu ʻōʻū ʻoe o ka nahele (song), listen, O bird, you honey creeper of the forest.
• References:
  • See ex., kuaola.
  • Cf. ʻōʻū lae oʻo, ʻōʻū poʻo lapalapa.

4. vi., To hump up, as an octopus out of its burrow.

hamani, To abort, as in a computer program.

• Source:
  • Existing dictionary word, Extended meaning
• Examples:
  • Ua ʻōʻū ʻia ka hoʻoneʻe waihona ʻana. The file transfer was aborted.