pōkokohua
1. (verb) (-tia) to curse, cuss.
Kia kī te puku i te waipiro, tino kino te kangakanga ki te tangata, ka pōkokohuatia e ia ahakoa ko wai (EM 2002:19). / When he had a stomach full of alcohol he was terrible at swearing and cursing people, no matter who they were.
See also pokokōhua
2. (interjection) very strong curse, an insulting swear word, an expression of anger or a curse expressing a lack of desire to do something. The strength of emotions usually associated with the use of the Māori word is not conveyed in a literal translation (i.e. boiled head) in the English. Because the head is tapu in traditional Māori society, to boil it would have been the ultimate insult. However, the strength of the word depends on the ferocity of the delivery by the speaker.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 106; Te Pihinga Audio Tapes/CDs (Ed. 2): exercise 40;)
Ka tīwaha mai tētahi o ngā koroua o Tāwhaki, "Pōkokohua mā, me mutu ēnā mahi kōhuru." (TWK 1:31). / One of Tāwhaki's granduncles called out, "You buggers, stop those illegal activities."
3. (noun) strong term expressing contempt for someone.
Ka titiro a Tio ki a ia, ki ētahi hoki o ōna hoa, me te whakaaro. "Kua raru mātau i te pōkokohua rā, i a Heramia." (TWK 28:17) / Joe looked at him and to some of his companions and expressed his opinion, "We've been done in by that bugger, Heramia."
