Wehewehe Wikiwiki

1. n., Warrior, soldier, so called because Hawaiian fighters tied (pūʻali) their malos at the waist so that no flap would dangle for a foe to seize; army, host, multitude. Various types of military formations are listed below.

• Examples:
  • Kona pūʻali apau (Puk. 14.4), all his host.
  • Pūʻali ʻānela, host of angels.

2. nvt., To gird tightly about the waist, as of malo-clad warriors, or as corseted women; compressed, constricted in the middle; grooved, notched; irregularly shaped, as taro; notch; tight belt (see kōkī for example).

• Examples:
  • Ua kāliki ʻia ā pūʻali ke kino o ka wahine, the body of the woman is corseted and pulled tight.
  • ʻEono pūʻali a kānā lāʻau pālau (For. 5.221), his war club has six notches.
  • Pūʻali ka hau nui i ka hau iki (Nak. 108), the big hau tree is grooved by the small hau [a child annoying an adult; a small warrior harassing a big one].
• Related:
  • hopūʻali Caus/sim.; To gird, compress; grooved.

3. n., Isthmus.

4. n., Slender abdominal stalk on a wasp's body.

5. n., In music, a decrescendo followed by a crescendo.

6. n., Irregularly shaped ravine.

7. n., A vague term for an adopted man or boy who had no servants.

• References:
  • Ii 38.