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1. nvs., Night, darkness, obscurity; the realm of the gods; pertaining to or of the gods, chaos, or hell; dark, obscure, benighted; formerly the period of 24 hours beginning with nightfall (the Hawaiian “day” began at nightfall, cf. ao #1.) Figuratively, ignorance; ignorant.

• Examples:
  • Hōʻike a ka pō, revelation from the gods [as in dreams or omens].
  • Inoa pō, name suggested for a child in a dream.
  • Mai ka pō mai, from the gods; of divine origin.
  • Kāne o ka pō, wahine o ka pō, husband of the night, wife of the night [spirit lover: it was believed that a child born of such a mating might resemble an eel, lizard, shark, or bird, or might have supernatural powers; sometimes death or sickness followed nightly visits].
  • Nā pō o ka mahina, days [literally, nights] of the month.
  • Pō ʻahia kēia? What day of the week [or month] is this? Pō nui hoʻolakolako, the great night that supplies [the gods revealed their will in revelations and dreams at night].
  • Pō pouli ʻaʻaki, a night so dark it bites with the teeth.
  • Pō i ka lāʻau, darkened by the tree.
  • Ua pō, it's late (not necessarily night, but usually said if one is in danger of not being home by dark].
  • Ua hana māua ā pō ka lā, we worked until night; literally, until the day darkened.
  • Ua hana māua ā ao ka pō, we worked until daylight; literally, until the night lighted.
  • Kēlā pō ā ao aʻe i nehinei, night before last; literally, that night until dawned yesterday.
  • Kēia po, tonight.
  • Ka pō nei, last night.
  • ʻO ke kumu o ka pō i pō ai (KL. line 8), the source of the night that was dark.
  • Ua hiamoe akula kona pō (FS 99), he spent the night sleeping.
  • Kou pō ua moe ʻia, ʻo koʻu nei lā, ʻaʻole (song), you slept during the night, but not I.
  • Iho i ka pō, ā i ke kolu o ka pō, ola hou mai, descended into hell, the third day rose again from the dead.
  • He aha ka puana a ka po? What declares the night [any revelation from the gods? what is to happen in the future?]? ʻO ʻakahi ka pō, ʻo ʻalua ka pō … lele wale ka pō (FS 47), one night spirit, two night spirits … the night spirits fly off.
• Related:
  • hoʻopō Caus/sim.; To behave in an ignorant manner, perhaps purposely; to keep out of sight, to stay in the dark; ignorant.
• References:
  • Cf. Halāliʻi, Pōʻakahi, Pōʻalua.
  • PPN poo.

2. vs., Thick, dense, of flowers or heady fragrance; to issue perfume.

• Examples:
  • Maʻemaʻe Līhau pō i ka lehua (song), lovely Līhau dense with lehua.
  • E pō puni ana ke ʻala o ka hala, the fragrance of pandanus spreads everywhere and is overpowering.
• References:
  • See ex., niniu.

1. s., Night; the time after the going down of the sun; the time of the twenty-four hours opposite to ao, day.

2. Darkness; the time when the sun gives no light.

3. Chaos; the time before there was light; mai ka po mai, from chaos (darkness) hitherto, that is, from the beginning, from eternity.

4. The place of departed spirits; the place of torment. NOTE.—Hawaiians reckon time by nights rather than by days; as, Po akahi, first night, i. e., Monday; Po alua, second night, Tuesday. Po was counted as a god among the poe akuanoho.

1. v., To be dark; to darken; to become night; to be out of sight; to vanish; hence, to be slain; to be lost; e po i ke kaua, to be lost in war.

2. FIG. To be ignorant; to be wild; to be rude; to be uncultivated.

3. To overshadow, as the foliage of trees.

4. To assemble thickly together, as people; to come together in multitudes.

5. To emit an odoriferous smell. See puia.

1. adj., Dark; dark colored; obscure.

2. FIG. Ignorant; rude; wild; savage.

3. Unsocial; sour; unfriendly; crabbed.

is prefixed to a good many words, and seems to denote an intensive, thus: maikai, pomaikai; ino, poino; eleele, poeleele; pilikia, popilikia, &c.

prefix, It seems to have an intensive force, thus: maikai, pomaikai; ino, poino; eleele, poeleele; pilikia, popilikia, etc.

1. adj., Dark; dark colored; obscure.

2. adj., Fig. Ignorant; rude; wild; savage.

3. adj., Unsocial; sour; unfriendly; crabbed.

1. n., Night; the time after the going down of the sun; the time of the twentytour hours opposite to ao, day.

2. n., Darkness; the time when the sun gives no light.

3. n., Chaos; the time before there was light: mai ka po mai, from chaos (darkness) hitherto, that is, from the beginning, from eternity.

4. n., The place of departed spirits; the place of torment. (Hawaiians reckon time by nights rather than by days; as, po akahi, first night, that is, Monday; po alua, second night, Tuesday. Po was counted as a god among the poe akuanoho or the deified spirits of the deceased.)

1. v., To be dark; to darken; to become night; to be out of sight; to vanish; hence, to be slain; to be lost; e po i ke kaua, to be lost in war.

2. v., Fig. To be ignorant; to be wild; to be rude; to be uncultivated.

3. v., To overshadow, as the foliage of trees.