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A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary

N

N

  • The tenth letter in the Samoan alphabet. Pronounced as in English.

  • Na, a particle used before verbs to mark the imperfect tense.

  • Na, pron. he, she; used before verbs, as Na te sau.

  • Na, pron. this, that, these, those. It always brings the accent of the proceding word on to the ultima, and causes a lengthening of the vowel. ʻO i le nuu na. ʻUa fuaisisila lau amio na.

  • Na, v. to quiet, to hush, as a crying child.

  • Na, v. to conceal; pass. natia; redup. nana, nana. E nana fua, ʻa ʻe le lilo.

  • Naʻa, s. the pole to which a net for pigeon-catching is fixed. ʻO lana naʻa.

  • Nai, a. some: an endearing dimin. Ina o mai nai au pugavavalo. Talofa ai i nai tulafale.

  • Nai, prep. See Mai.

  • Naiufi, s. the name of a shark (rarely taken).

  • Naifea. See Maifea.

  • Nainai, v. to fix on, to select beforehand.

  • Nainai, adv. no wonder. Nainai soania le fetuao. Syn. Soasoa, Laʻolaʻo.

  • Naito, s. the name of a tree.

  • Naitolama, s. the name of a fish. See Maitolama.

  • Naʻo, adv. only. Ma neʻi na ʻo ia se nuʻu, e leai ni tagata.

  • Naonao, s. the name of one kind of ant which eats the taro leaves.

  • Naonao, v. to feel for, as for fishes in holes, by introducing the arm.

  • Naonaoa, a. full of naonao.

  • Naonaofaga, s. the fishes caught by naonao. ʻO lona naonaofaga.

  • Nau, s. 1. the name of a bindweed. 1. fua mai le nau ina utupupu ia. 2. The name of a cat, from its cry. On Manuʻa.

  • Nau, s. a chief's girdle of leaves.

  • Nau, v. to desire earnestly, to long for; redup. naunau; pass. nautia, naunautia. Pe tou te naunautia ea nei amio? Taʻu ane se aliʻi, po ʻo ai lua te nau i ai?

  • Naʻua, adv. very, exceedingly. Aue le sola sulusulu, ʻua mataʻu tele naʻua.

  • Nauga, s. from nau, desire. ʻUa ʻo le nauga ia Veve.

  • Naumati, a. dry, destitute of water, as a country.

  • Naumati, s. destitution of water. ʻO le naumati o si aʻu taʻavaoga, e utupo le vai o tautai.

  • Naunau, s. the name of a tree (Geophila reniformis).

  • Naunau, v. to be very great, to exceed. Si ou lalelei ʻua naunau.

  • Naunautaʻi, v. to desire earnestly. Tou featani i le mala ʻua naunautaʻi.

    page 229
  • Nausosolo, s. the name of a creeping plant.

  • Nafa, s. a native drum.

  • Nafa, v. to appoint, as to be with one of the opposite party in seuga, or in a clubbing match; or to be the host and entertainer of a person.

  • Nafa, s. the one appointed to be the opponent or host of another.

  • Nafai, v. pret. Methought. Nafai a aʻu oti.

  • Nafanafataʻi, v. to bear in mind, to lay up in memory.

  • Naga, s. from na, to hide, the place where a net is hidden to catch fish.

  • Namo, s. a place in the lagoon abounding in fish.

  • Namu, s. the mosquito.

  • Namu, s. a smell, an odour.

  • Namu, v. to have a bad smell.

  • Namua, a. full of mosquitoes.

  • Namua, v. to abound in mosquitoes.

  • Namualasi, v. to be poor. A depreciatory word of a party seeking assistance; professing poverty as an excuse. See Manua.

  • Namulega, s. the name of a tree (Vites trifolia).

  • Namumoto, v. to smell rankly, as wild yams on the second day.

  • Namusala. See Lanamusala.

  • Namusefa, v. to smell like sefa, in consequence of neglecting to bathe oneself.

  • Namuseseʻu, v. to emit a bad smell. 2. To have a bad taste in the mouth.

  • Namuvasa, v. to smell of the sea.

  • Nana, s. a swarm of soldier crabs.

  • Nana, v. 1. to urge, to request, to persist in asking. 2. To boast; redup. nananana.

  • Nana, v. redup. of na

  • Nana, v. redup. of na.

  • Nana, s. one method of fishing. Syn. Saosaoʻo.

  • Nanau, v. pl. of eau.

  • Nanamu, v. to be fragrant, to give a sweet smell.

  • Nanamu, s. fragrance. ʻO lona nanamu.

  • Nananana, v. a word found in poetry; the meaning is lost. ʻE te nananana le tai o nana.

  • Nanasu, v. 1. to grow rankly, as weeds on good soil. 2. To abound, as the dry sugar-cane leaf used for thatch.

  • Nanati, v. pl. of nati.

  • Nanea, v. to be sufficient for the purpose, as thatch for a house, wood to build a canoe, &c.

  • Nanei, adv. by-and-by, presently.

  • Naneinei ane, adv. presently, very shortly.

  • Nani, v. to talk indistinctly, as a child; redup. naninani.

  • Nanu, v. 1. to stammer, to pronounce wrongly. 2. To speak a foreign language; recip. fenanuʻi; dimin. nanunanu.

  • Nanue, s. the name of a fish.

  • Nanuga, v. to talk nonsense, as a delirious person.

  • Nanugamaʻitiga, v. to ask for property like one delirious. Applied to themselves by those who beg for property.

  • Napagofie, v. to prepare beforehand, as materials for housebuilding.

  • Napatia, v. to meet with a calamity. Syn. Pagatia.

  • Nape, v. 1. to be entangled; redup. napenape; recip. pl. faʻafenape. 2. To steer free. Syn. Lave.

  • Nase, s. the giant fern (Angiopteris evecta; and another species, Marattia fraxinea).

  • Nase, bad-flavoured, unsavoury, as the flesh of wild pigs.

  • Nasu, v. to cover the earth round a taro plant with grass, leaves, &c.; redup. nanasu.

  • Nasu, s. the grass, leaves, &c., used to nasu with.

  • Nati, v. to tease, to be importunate; pl. nanati; redup. natinati.

  • Nativale, v. to be unduly importunate.

    page 230
  • Natonu. See Atonu.

  • Navu, s. lime.

  • Navu, v. to dress the hair with lime.

  • Navua, v. to break the head. A jocular term.

  • Ne, v. 1. to draw back, as from a disgusting or offensive object. 2. To keep back, as offensive words. 3. To withdraw in consequence of shame.

  • Neʻe, v. 1. to bear up, to lift up, as a boat lifted by the water. 2. To inflate, to puff up, as with pride; redup. neneʻe, neʻeneʻe; pass. neʻetia.

  • Neʻe, a. puffed up, proud; pl. neneʻe.

  • Neʻetaga, s. praises. flattering attentions. ʻO ana neʻetaga.

  • Nei, Malay, Ini, pron. 1. this. 2. pl. of lenei, these.

  • Nei, adv. now.

  • Neʻi, adv. lest; not. Funa e, Olomanu, neʻi faʻi saʻu totatau.

  • Nefu, s. the name of a small fish.

  • Nefu, v. to be stirred up, to be turbid, to be muddy; redup. nenefu; dimin. nefunefu.

  • Nefua, v. to be pricked by the nefu.

  • Nefunefu, s. the white blossom of the pandanus. Ua se nefunefu sigano ona vai atu.

  • Nego, v. to make signs with the cyebrows, to beckon: redup. negonego.

  • Nene, s. the name of a game of play.

  • Neneʻa, v. to laugh heartily, to continue to laugh; redup. neʻaneʻa.

  • Nene e, v. to act the manaia. Syn. Faʻamanaia.

  • Nenefu, v. to be dim, to be indistinct.

  • Neva, to wander about, having nowhere to go.

  • Nena, a. friendless, destitute of relations. (A term of reproach); pl. nenena; recip. fenevaʻi.

  • Nevenene, s. mons veneris.

  • Ni, a. some, any. ʻUa iloa e ai ni laʻau e gugana.

  • Niau, v. to desire, to long for.

  • Niʻiniʻi, a. small, minute. See Niniʻi.

  • Niʻo, s., the rope of a sailing canoe.

  • Niʻo, v. to bring the hand round behind in order to catch something. 2. To do things in a semicircle. 3. To cover up a bad word uttered; to say, and then deny the meaning attached. ʻUa piʻo ma niʻo, to be all shapes.

  • Niu, s., Malay, niyor and niula. 1. The cocoa-nut tree (Cocosnucifera). ʻO lona niu. 2. The fruit of the cocoa-nut. ʻO ana niu.

  • Niua, a. full of cocoa-nut trees.

  • Niuaimoa, s. the name of a plant.

  • Niuʻafa, s. a large kind of cocoa-nut, the husk of which produces long fibres from which sinnet is made.

  • Niualava, s. two kinds of cocoa-nut.

  • Niuui, s. two kinds of cocoa-nut.

  • Niuui, v. 1. to sprinkle with the juice of niuui in order to make common. 2. To pardon.

  • Niuuigofie, a. forgiving.

  • Niufafo, s. the bottom beam (wall plate) of a house on which the last thatch rests.

  • Niufetepulu, s. cocoa-nut with much husk and a small nut.

  • Niulaʻita. See Laʻita.

  • Niuleʻa, s. one kind of cocoa-nut.

  • Niumagumagu, s. the name of popo (old cocoa-nuts) at Sapapalii.

  • Niumea, s. one kind of cocoa-nut.

  • Niuniupulu, v. taking husks instead of cocoa-nuts.

  • Niupaoga, s. a tall cocoa-nut tree. ʻUa gagau le niupaoga fatifati.

  • Niupiu, s. the fan palm (Pritchardia Pacifica).

  • Niusami, s. a cocoa-nut in the last stage before becoming a popo.

  • Niutetea, s. lit. the albino cocoa-nut, a pale-leafed cocoa-nut.

  • Niuvao, s. the name of wild palms (Kentia sp. pl.).

  • Nifo, s., Malay, nifoa. 1. A tooth. page 231 2. A tusk. 3. A horn. (1) Ona mafaʻifaʻi lea ʻo nifo. ʻO lona nifo.

  • Nifoa, a. having teeth.

  • Nifoelo, a. having poisonous teeth, causing bad wounds, as dogs, or wild hogs.

  • Nifouga, a. having rotten teeth.

  • Nifoloa, s. the name of a cannibal god.

  • Nifopu, a. having a vacant space in the row of teeth.

  • Nifotuimanu, s. the eye-tooth.

  • Nimo, v. 1. to be out of sight. Solo nofo i Leuo ninimo. 2. To be forgotten; to be unknown, of that which was known; redup. ninimo, nimonimo.

  • Nimoaiina, v. to put out of sight. Ia e nimoaiina se toga i le aiga nei.

  • Nifa, s. an occasion, an opportunity, an excuse. A Tutuila word.

  • Nina, v. to converse together, as friends about to part. ʻUa le seʻi nina ea?

  • Ninanina, v. a poetic word, the meaning unknown. ʻE te ninanina lava le tai o nina.

  • Nini, v. to daub, to smear; pass. ninia.

  • Niniane, v. to be near.

  • Niniʻi, a. small.

  • Niniʻo, v. to be far off, in reference to something which at last comes upon a person. ʻNeʻi niniʻo niniʻo lava, ui aue i le ʻalofaga e.

  • Ninifi, v. to adorn. Syn. Titifi.

  • Ninimo. See Nimo.

  • Nininini, v. a poetic word, the meaning of which is lost. ʻE te nininini lava le tai o nini.

  • Niniva, v. to be giddy; dimin. nivaniva.

  • Nisi, a. some, any. ʻUa oʻo i nisi aso, ona taʻamilo, &c.

  • Nivaga, s. a giddy height.

  • Nivaniva. See Vinavina.

  • No, v. to borrow; redup. nono; pass. nogia.

  • Noa, v. to strangle oneself, to commit suicide by strangling.

  • Noa, adv. 1. without object, without cause. Syn. Fua. 2. Without fastening, as ʻUa ufi noa le ʻato.

  • Noa, s. a girdle of ti leaves. Used at Matautu for titi.

  • Noa, a. of no account, as ʻo le tagata noa.

  • Noamua, a. first fastened. ʻO le itu noamua.

  • Noaunu, a slip-knot.

  • Noanoa, a. calin, quiet, hushed, as the wind. ʻUa noamoa le ulufanua.

  • Noanoa, v. redup. of nonoa, to bind hand and foot.

  • Noanoaga, s. bonds, fastenings. ʻO ona noanoaga.

  • Noapala, See Titipala.

  • Noataga, s. 1 a tie. 2. A place to tie to. 3. fig. A law; pl. noanoataga.

  • Noati, v. pl. of nonoa, to tie up animals; redup. noanoati.

  • Noia! int. sometimes used for Soia!

  • Noimua, v. to show beforehand, as an opinion or determination.

  • Noʻo, s. the hips. ʻO ona noʻo.

  • Noʻoi, v. to answer back. ʻAua e te noʻoi i ʻupu a lou tama.

  • Noʻoia, v. 1. to be pressed down, as under a heavy burden. 2. To be bent in, as the edge of a hatchet. 3. To be forbidden, as to continue a speech. 4. To be pained at heart.

  • Noʻopa, s. a foundation. Syn. Faʻavae. ʻO lona noʻopa.

  • Noʻunoʻu, v. to bend down, to stoop, as under a burden, or from age.

  • Noʻutua, v. to bend down the back, as when eating (stooping to take the food from the ground), paddling a canoe, &c.

  • Nofo, v. 1. to sit. 2. To dwell. 3. To live with. 4. To cohabit with, as a wife. Ona fanau lea ʻo le fafine ina ʻua nofo ia Tafaʻi. 5. To remain; pl. nonofo; redup. nofonofo; pass. nofoia. Nofo is used in composition with other words, indicating a certain page 232 condition, as nofolelei, to dwell peaceably.

  • Nofoa, s. a seat. ʻO lona nofoa.

  • Nofoaʻi, v. 1. to sit down. 2. To live in virginity.

  • Nofoaʻiga, s. 1. the time during which a man bears the name or title belonging to his family. 2. A reign. ʻO lona nofoaʻiga.

  • Nofoao, v. to be a titled chief. ʻE te le iloa le nofoao.

  • Nofoafa, v. to have four pullers in a canoe.

  • Nofoafono, s. a seat in the council. ʻO lo latou nofoafono.

  • Nofoaga, s. 1. the place in which one sits. 2. The posteriors. ʻO ona nofoaga.

  • Nofoaliʻi, s. a chief's seat, a throne. ʻO lona nofoaliʻi.

  • Nofoalua, v. to have two pullers in a canoe.

  • Nofoamu, v. to remain among the coral branches, as small fish.

  • Nofoaseu, s. a seat used in pigeon-catching.

  • Nofoatau, s. the war-stool. Tiliaui lea e fai ma nofoatau.

  • Nofoatolu, v. to have three pullers in a canoe.

  • Nofoi, v. to fall in a sitting posture.

  • Nofoia, v. 1. to have an oppression on the chest, as from indigestion, pregnancy, &c. 2. To rise up, as black clouds hanging about on the horizon; redup. nofonofoia.

  • Nofoifeʻe, v. to be in the zenith, of the sun. A Manuʻa word.

  • Nofoitau, v. to sit on the halfdeck of a canoe. Le nofoitau i le vaʻa le to i le tai.

  • Nofofala, v. to sit at the fala in order to play at lafoga.

  • Nofofua, v. to be single, to be unmarried; of a woman.

  • Nofogata, a. difficult of access, of a reserved and haughty person, or one with an uncertain temper.

  • Nofogata, v. to be of a harsh and distant disposition.

  • Nofogofie, a. accessible, of an easy disposition.

  • Nofogofie, v. to be of an easy, accessible disposition.

  • Nofolelei, v. to dwell in peace.

  • Nofolua, s. a bigamist. In the same way other numbers are combined, as nofotolu, &c.

  • Nofolua, v. to be a bigamist.

  • Nofonofo, v. dimin. of nofo.

  • Nofonofonoa, v. to be un prepared. 2. To be doing nothing.

  • Nofonofotonu, v. to be prepared, to be waiting for.

  • Nofonofovale. See Nofonofonoa.

  • Nofopologa, v. to be a slave, to be enslaved.

  • Nofosaʻo, v. to sit quiet; redup. nofonofosaʻo; pl. nofosasaʻo, nonofosaʻo.

  • Nofosauni, v. to be prepared, to wait prepared.

  • Nofosala, v. to be under condemnation.

  • Nofotafaʻi, v. to sit on each side of the king.

  • Nofotane, v. to be married, of the woman.

  • Nofotasi, v. to dwell with one, as one wife. ʻO le a nofotasi lava Sina.

  • Nofotoʻilalo, v. to remain in a conquered, subject condition.

  • Nofotonu. See Nofonofotonu.

  • Nofu, s. the name of a stinging fish (Scorpæna sp.).

  • Noga, v. 1. to be quiet, to be easy, as from pain. 2. To leave off, to leave, as work, speaking, &c.

  • Nogataʻi, v. 1. to be quiet, to be easy, as from pain. 2. To leave off, to leave, as work, speaking, &c.

  • Nono, s. 1. the name of the white ant when, being winged, it swarms. 2. The cord used to wind round a canoe. 3. The string attached to a stone taken down by a diver.

  • Nono, v. to make a pause in a speech, waiting for the prompters. 2. To make a pause before doing something. ʻUa nono le loto.

  • Nono, v. redup. of no, to borrow.

    page 233
  • Nonoa, v. to tie, to bind; pl. noati; pass. noatia; redup. intens. noanoa. I puʻe, i tao, ma noanoa.

  • Nonou, a. cross, surly-looking.

  • Nonou, v. to look cross.

  • Nonu, Malay, Nona, s. the name of a tree (Morinda citrifolia).

  • Nonuui, s. the white kind of nonufiʻafiʻa (Eugenia Malaccensis).

  • Nonuʻula, s. the red kind of nonufiʻafiʻa (Eugenia Malaccensis).

  • Nonuʻulu, s. a species of nonu (Morinda citrifolia) having large fruit.

  • Nonufiʻafiʻa. s. the Malay apple (Eugenia Malaecensis).

  • Nonuvao, s. the wild nonu.

  • Nuaga, s. a grating down, as of arrowroot or turmeric.

  • Nuanua, s. a rainbow.

  • Nuʻanuʻa, s. the name of a shrub (Nelitris Vitiensis).

  • Nui, v. to be great, to increase, as wind or pain. ʻUa nui i le po. 'Tis near night.

  • Nuʻu, s. 1. a district, a town. 2. A country, an island. Aue Tutuila e, ʻo lota nuʻu e mamao. 3. People. Oi ta ʻinoʻino i le nuʻu ʻua au mai, &c.

  • Nuʻu[gap — reason: unclear]o, adv. formerly, in olden times. ʻOe le Atua o le nuʻutu.

  • Nuʻutu, adv. formerly, in olden times. ʻOe le Atua o le nuʻutu.

  • Nuʻutuloto, s. an island. Syn. Nuʻututai.

  • Nuʻutumatafaga, s. a maritime place.

  • Nuʻututai, s. an islet near the mainland. See Nuʻutuloto.

  • Numi, v. 1. to be involved, to be intricate. 2. To rumple, to crush together without folding up. 3. To be jabbled, as the sea; pl. nunumi; pass. numia; redup. numinumi.

  • Numi, s. a gather of a dress.

  • Numilefau, v. to be entangled, of the pigeons' string. Applied to counsels differing and dissenting.

  • Nunu, v. to be silent from anger; applied to gods and chiefs.

  • Nunu, s. a gathering, a concourse of people for feasting and interchanging property, as on occasion of a chief's marriage.

  • Nunu, v. 1. to crowd together; redup. nunununu. 2. To grate down, as turmeric.

  • Nunumi, v. pl. of numi.

  • Nunuti, v. pl. of nuti.

  • Nunuvale, v. 1. to be in confusion, as troops. 2. To go to a fono in which the party has not a voice.

  • Nunuvale, s. a large concourse with little food.

  • Nupani, s. the yaws. Syn. Tona. ʻO ona nupani.

  • Nusa, conj. even although, notwith-standing. A nusa ʻea le toʻese, ʻa e manatu i tua e. See Anusa.

  • Nuti, v. 1. to crush in the hand. 2. To break in pieces; pl. nunuti; pass. nutiia; redup. nutinuti.

  • Nutimomomo, v. to crush to atoms. ʻO le loto ʻua nutimomoia.

  • Nutininiʻi, v. to break up very small.

  • Nutipala, v. to crush to dust; pass. nutipalaina.