A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary
N
N
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The tenth letter in the Samoan alphabet. Pronounced as in English.
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Na, a particle used before verbs to mark the imperfect tense.
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Na, pron. he, she; used before verbs, as Na te sau.
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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.
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Na, v. to quiet, to hush, as a crying child.
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Na, v. to conceal; pass. natia; redup. nana, nana. E nana fua, ʻa ʻe le lilo.
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Naʻa, s. the pole to which a net for pigeon-catching is fixed. ʻO lana naʻa.
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Nai, a. some: an endearing dimin. Ina o mai nai au pugavavalo. Talofa ai i nai tulafale.
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Nai, prep. See Mai.
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Naiufi, s. the name of a shark (rarely taken).
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Naifea. See Maifea.
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Nainai, v. to fix on, to select beforehand.
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Nainai, adv. no wonder. Nainai soania le fetuao. Syn. Soasoa, Laʻolaʻo.
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Naito, s. the name of a tree.
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Naitolama, s. the name of a fish. See Maitolama.
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Naʻo, adv. only. Ma neʻi na ʻo ia se nuʻu, e leai ni tagata.
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Naonao, s. the name of one kind of ant which eats the taro leaves.
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Naonao, v. to feel for, as for fishes in holes, by introducing the arm.
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Naonaoa, a. full of naonao.
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Naonaofaga, s. the fishes caught by naonao. ʻO lona naonaofaga.
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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.
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Nau, s. a chief's girdle of leaves.
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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?
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Naʻua, adv. very, exceedingly. Aue le sola sulusulu, ʻua mataʻu tele naʻua.
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Nauga, s. from nau, desire. ʻUa ʻo le nauga ia Veve.
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Naumati, a. dry, destitute of water, as a country.
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Naumati, s. destitution of water. ʻO le naumati o si aʻu taʻavaoga, e utupo le vai o tautai.
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Naunau, s. the name of a tree (Geophila reniformis).
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Naunau, v. to be very great, to exceed. Si ou lalelei ʻua naunau.
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Naunautaʻi, v. to desire earnestly. Tou featani i le mala ʻua naunautaʻi.
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Nausosolo, s. the name of a creeping plant.
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Nafa, s. a native drum.
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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.
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Nafa, s. the one appointed to be the opponent or host of another.
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Nafai, v. pret. Methought. Nafai a aʻu oti.
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Nafanafataʻi, v. to bear in mind, to lay up in memory.
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Naga, s. from na, to hide, the place where a net is hidden to catch fish.
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Namo, s. a place in the lagoon abounding in fish.
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Namu, s. the mosquito.
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Namu, s. a smell, an odour.
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Namu, v. to have a bad smell.
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Namua, a. full of mosquitoes.
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Namua, v. to abound in mosquitoes.
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Namualasi, v. to be poor. A depreciatory word of a party seeking assistance; professing poverty as an excuse. See Manua.
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Namulega, s. the name of a tree (Vites trifolia).
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Namumoto, v. to smell rankly, as wild yams on the second day.
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Namusala. See Lanamusala.
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Namusefa, v. to smell like sefa, in consequence of neglecting to bathe oneself.
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Namuseseʻu, v. to emit a bad smell. 2. To have a bad taste in the mouth.
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Namuvasa, v. to smell of the sea.
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Nana, s. a swarm of soldier crabs.
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Nana, v. redup. of na
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Nana, v. redup. of na.
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Nana, s. one method of fishing. Syn. Saosaoʻo.
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Nanau, v. pl. of eau.
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Nanamu, v. to be fragrant, to give a sweet smell.
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Nanamu, s. fragrance. ʻO lona nanamu.
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Nananana, v. a word found in poetry; the meaning is lost. ʻE te nananana le tai o nana.
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Nanasu, v. 1. to grow rankly, as weeds on good soil. 2. To abound, as the dry sugar-cane leaf used for thatch.
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Nanati, v. pl. of nati.
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Nanea, v. to be sufficient for the purpose, as thatch for a house, wood to build a canoe, &c.
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Nanei, adv. by-and-by, presently.
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Naneinei ane, adv. presently, very shortly.
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Nani, v. to talk indistinctly, as a child; redup. naninani.
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Nanu, v. 1. to stammer, to pronounce wrongly. 2. To speak a foreign language; recip. fenanuʻi; dimin. nanunanu.
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Nanue, s. the name of a fish.
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Nanuga, v. to talk nonsense, as a delirious person.
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Nanugamaʻitiga, v. to ask for property like one delirious. Applied to themselves by those who beg for property.
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Napagofie, v. to prepare beforehand, as materials for housebuilding.
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Napatia, v. to meet with a calamity. Syn. Pagatia.
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Nape, v. 1. to be entangled; redup. napenape; recip. pl. faʻafenape. 2. To steer free. Syn. Lave.
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Nase, s. the giant fern (Angiopteris evecta; and another species, Marattia fraxinea).
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Nase, bad-flavoured, unsavoury, as the flesh of wild pigs.
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Nasu, v. to cover the earth round a taro plant with grass, leaves, &c.; redup. nanasu.
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Nasu, s. the grass, leaves, &c., used to nasu with.
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Nati, v. to tease, to be importunate; pl. nanati; redup. natinati.
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Nativale, v. to be unduly importunate.
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Natonu. See Atonu.
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Navu, s. lime.
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Navu, v. to dress the hair with lime.
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Navua, v. to break the head. A jocular term.
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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.
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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.
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Neʻe, a. puffed up, proud; pl. neneʻe.
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Neʻetaga, s. praises. flattering attentions. ʻO ana neʻetaga.
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Nei, Malay, Ini, pron. 1. this. 2. pl. of lenei, these.
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Nei, adv. now.
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Neʻi, adv. lest; not. Funa e, Olomanu, neʻi faʻi saʻu totatau.
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Nefu, s. the name of a small fish.
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Nefu, v. to be stirred up, to be turbid, to be muddy; redup. nenefu; dimin. nefunefu.
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Nefua, v. to be pricked by the nefu.
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Nefunefu, s. the white blossom of the pandanus. Ua se nefunefu sigano ona vai atu.
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Nego, v. to make signs with the cyebrows, to beckon: redup. negonego.
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Nene, s. the name of a game of play.
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Neneʻa, v. to laugh heartily, to continue to laugh; redup. neʻaneʻa.
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Nene e, v. to act the manaia. Syn. Faʻamanaia.
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Nenefu, v. to be dim, to be indistinct.
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Neva, to wander about, having nowhere to go.
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Nena, a. friendless, destitute of relations. (A term of reproach); pl. nenena; recip. fenevaʻi.
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Nevenene, s. mons veneris.
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Ni, a. some, any. ʻUa iloa e ai ni laʻau e gugana.
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Niau, v. to desire, to long for.
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Niʻiniʻi, a. small, minute. See Niniʻi.
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Niʻo, s., the rope of a sailing canoe.
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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.
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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.
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Niua, a. full of cocoa-nut trees.
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Niuaimoa, s. the name of a plant.
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Niuʻafa, s. a large kind of cocoa-nut, the husk of which produces long fibres from which sinnet is made.
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Niualava, s. two kinds of cocoa-nut.
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Niuui, s. two kinds of cocoa-nut.
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Niuui, v. 1. to sprinkle with the juice of niuui in order to make common. 2. To pardon.
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Niuuigofie, a. forgiving.
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Niufafo, s. the bottom beam (wall plate) of a house on which the last thatch rests.
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Niufetepulu, s. cocoa-nut with much husk and a small nut.
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Niulaʻita. See Laʻita.
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Niuleʻa, s. one kind of cocoa-nut.
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Niumagumagu, s. the name of popo (old cocoa-nuts) at Sapapalii.
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Niumea, s. one kind of cocoa-nut.
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Niuniupulu, v. taking husks instead of cocoa-nuts.
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Niupaoga, s. a tall cocoa-nut tree. ʻUa gagau le niupaoga fatifati.
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Niupiu, s. the fan palm (Pritchardia Pacifica).
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Niusami, s. a cocoa-nut in the last stage before becoming a popo.
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Niutetea, s. lit. the albino cocoa-nut, a pale-leafed cocoa-nut.
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Niuvao, s. the name of wild palms (Kentia sp. pl.).
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Nifo, s., Malay, nifoa. 1. A tooth. page 231 2. A tusk. 3. A horn. (1) Ona mafaʻifaʻi lea ʻo nifo. ʻO lona nifo.
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Nifoa, a. having teeth.
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Nifoelo, a. having poisonous teeth, causing bad wounds, as dogs, or wild hogs.
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Nifouga, a. having rotten teeth.
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Nifoloa, s. the name of a cannibal god.
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Nifopu, a. having a vacant space in the row of teeth.
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Nifotuimanu, s. the eye-tooth.
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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.
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Nimoaiina, v. to put out of sight. Ia e nimoaiina se toga i le aiga nei.
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Nifa, s. an occasion, an opportunity, an excuse. A Tutuila word.
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Nina, v. to converse together, as friends about to part. ʻUa le seʻi nina ea?
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Ninanina, v. a poetic word, the meaning unknown. ʻE te ninanina lava le tai o nina.
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Nini, v. to daub, to smear; pass. ninia.
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Niniane, v. to be near.
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Niniʻi, a. small.
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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.
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Ninifi, v. to adorn. Syn. Titifi.
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Ninimo. See Nimo.
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Nininini, v. a poetic word, the meaning of which is lost. ʻE te nininini lava le tai o nini.
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Niniva, v. to be giddy; dimin. nivaniva.
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Nisi, a. some, any. ʻUa oʻo i nisi aso, ona taʻamilo, &c.
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Nivaga, s. a giddy height.
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Nivaniva. See Vinavina.
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No, v. to borrow; redup. nono; pass. nogia.
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Noa, v. to strangle oneself, to commit suicide by strangling.
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Noa, adv. 1. without object, without cause. Syn. Fua. 2. Without fastening, as ʻUa ufi noa le ʻato.
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Noa, s. a girdle of ti leaves. Used at Matautu for titi.
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Noa, a. of no account, as ʻo le tagata noa.
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Noamua, a. first fastened. ʻO le itu noamua.
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Noaunu, a slip-knot.
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Noanoa, a. calin, quiet, hushed, as the wind. ʻUa noamoa le ulufanua.
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Noanoa, v. redup. of nonoa, to bind hand and foot.
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Noanoaga, s. bonds, fastenings. ʻO ona noanoaga.
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Noapala, See Titipala.
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Noataga, s. 1 a tie. 2. A place to tie to. 3. fig. A law; pl. noanoataga.
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Noati, v. pl. of nonoa, to tie up animals; redup. noanoati.
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Noia! int. sometimes used for Soia!
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Noimua, v. to show beforehand, as an opinion or determination.
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Noʻo, s. the hips. ʻO ona noʻo.
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Noʻoi, v. to answer back. ʻAua e te noʻoi i ʻupu a lou tama.
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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.
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Noʻopa, s. a foundation. Syn. Faʻavae. ʻO lona noʻopa.
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Noʻunoʻu, v. to bend down, to stoop, as under a burden, or from age.
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Noʻutua, v. to bend down the back, as when eating (stooping to take the food from the ground), paddling a canoe, &c.
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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.
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Nofoa, s. a seat. ʻO lona nofoa.
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Nofoaʻi, v. 1. to sit down. 2. To live in virginity.
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Nofoaʻiga, s. 1. the time during which a man bears the name or title belonging to his family. 2. A reign. ʻO lona nofoaʻiga.
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Nofoao, v. to be a titled chief. ʻE te le iloa le nofoao.
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Nofoafa, v. to have four pullers in a canoe.
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Nofoafono, s. a seat in the council. ʻO lo latou nofoafono.
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Nofoaga, s. 1. the place in which one sits. 2. The posteriors. ʻO ona nofoaga.
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Nofoaliʻi, s. a chief's seat, a throne. ʻO lona nofoaliʻi.
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Nofoalua, v. to have two pullers in a canoe.
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Nofoamu, v. to remain among the coral branches, as small fish.
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Nofoaseu, s. a seat used in pigeon-catching.
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Nofoatau, s. the war-stool. Tiliaui lea e fai ma nofoatau.
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Nofoatolu, v. to have three pullers in a canoe.
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Nofoi, v. to fall in a sitting posture.
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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.
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Nofoifeʻe, v. to be in the zenith, of the sun. A Manuʻa word.
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Nofoitau, v. to sit on the halfdeck of a canoe. Le nofoitau i le vaʻa le to i le tai.
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Nofofala, v. to sit at the fala in order to play at lafoga.
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Nofofua, v. to be single, to be unmarried; of a woman.
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Nofogata, a. difficult of access, of a reserved and haughty person, or one with an uncertain temper.
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Nofogata, v. to be of a harsh and distant disposition.
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Nofogofie, a. accessible, of an easy disposition.
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Nofogofie, v. to be of an easy, accessible disposition.
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Nofolelei, v. to dwell in peace.
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Nofolua, s. a bigamist. In the same way other numbers are combined, as nofotolu, &c.
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Nofolua, v. to be a bigamist.
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Nofonofo, v. dimin. of nofo.
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Nofonofonoa, v. to be un prepared. 2. To be doing nothing.
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Nofonofotonu, v. to be prepared, to be waiting for.
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Nofonofovale. See Nofonofonoa.
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Nofopologa, v. to be a slave, to be enslaved.
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Nofosaʻo, v. to sit quiet; redup. nofonofosaʻo; pl. nofosasaʻo, nonofosaʻo.
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Nofosauni, v. to be prepared, to wait prepared.
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Nofosala, v. to be under condemnation.
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Nofotafaʻi, v. to sit on each side of the king.
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Nofotane, v. to be married, of the woman.
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Nofotasi, v. to dwell with one, as one wife. ʻO le a nofotasi lava Sina.
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Nofotoʻilalo, v. to remain in a conquered, subject condition.
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Nofotonu. See Nofonofotonu.
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Nofu, s. the name of a stinging fish (Scorpæna sp.).
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Noga, v. 1. to be quiet, to be easy, as from pain. 2. To leave off, to leave, as work, speaking, &c.
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Nogataʻi, v. 1. to be quiet, to be easy, as from pain. 2. To leave off, to leave, as work, speaking, &c.
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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.
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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.
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Nono, v. redup. of no, to borrow.
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Nonoa, v. to tie, to bind; pl. noati; pass. noatia; redup. intens. noanoa. I puʻe, i tao, ma noanoa.
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Nonou, a. cross, surly-looking.
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Nonou, v. to look cross.
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Nonu, Malay, Nona, s. the name of a tree (Morinda citrifolia).
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Nonuui, s. the white kind of nonufiʻafiʻa (Eugenia Malaccensis).
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Nonuʻula, s. the red kind of nonufiʻafiʻa (Eugenia Malaccensis).
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Nonuʻulu, s. a species of nonu (Morinda citrifolia) having large fruit.
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Nonufiʻafiʻa. s. the Malay apple (Eugenia Malaecensis).
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Nonuvao, s. the wild nonu.
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Nuaga, s. a grating down, as of arrowroot or turmeric.
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Nuanua, s. a rainbow.
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Nuʻanuʻa, s. the name of a shrub (Nelitris Vitiensis).
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Nui, v. to be great, to increase, as wind or pain. ʻUa nui i le po. 'Tis near night.
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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.
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Nuʻu[gap — reason: unclear]o, adv. formerly, in olden times. ʻOe le Atua o le nuʻutu.
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Nuʻutu, adv. formerly, in olden times. ʻOe le Atua o le nuʻutu.
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Nuʻutuloto, s. an island. Syn. Nuʻututai.
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Nuʻutumatafaga, s. a maritime place.
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Nuʻututai, s. an islet near the mainland. See Nuʻutuloto.
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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.
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Numi, s. a gather of a dress.
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Numilefau, v. to be entangled, of the pigeons' string. Applied to counsels differing and dissenting.
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Nunu, v. to be silent from anger; applied to gods and chiefs.
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Nunu, s. a gathering, a concourse of people for feasting and interchanging property, as on occasion of a chief's marriage.
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Nunu, v. 1. to crowd together; redup. nunununu. 2. To grate down, as turmeric.
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Nunumi, v. pl. of numi.
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Nunuti, v. pl. of nuti.
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Nunuvale, v. 1. to be in confusion, as troops. 2. To go to a fono in which the party has not a voice.
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Nunuvale, s. a large concourse with little food.
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Nupani, s. the yaws. Syn. Tona. ʻO ona nupani.
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Nusa, conj. even although, notwith-standing. A nusa ʻea le toʻese, ʻa e manatu i tua e. See Anusa.
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Nuti, v. 1. to crush in the hand. 2. To break in pieces; pl. nunuti; pass. nutiia; redup. nutinuti.
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Nutimomomo, v. to crush to atoms. ʻO le loto ʻua nutimomoia.
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Nutininiʻi, v. to break up very small.
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Nutipala, v. to crush to dust; pass. nutipalaina.