U - u

ua   1 • n. high tide. Ua mo mai. The tide came in.

2 • vi. to be high tide, tide comes in. Mo ua It's high tide.

uambute   n. very high tide.

uhi₁   vt. carry something with strings of basket across forehead. Usage: This is a way of carrying things that is used only by women.

uhi₂   vt. dig or lever up the ground with a stick. Na uhi na tano. They dug up the ground.

uhiuhi   vi. to be carrying something with strings of basket across forehead. Usage: Women only

ui   vt. wash up, as with plates. Ravavine nale ui na plet. The women are washing up the plates.

uli₁   vt. paint face with red colour as for a Kastom dance. See: vuuli.

uli₂   v. change, like butterfly, or like a snake sheds its skin.

uli₃   vt. unwind something, untie a knot.

uli₄   n. a kind of crab.

uliuli   vi. confess. Mo uliuli moiso mo rongo mo duhu. He confessed and then felt good.

ulo   vi. cry with tears running down face (not like children's crying). Ka domiho asena kale ulo. We feel very sad for you and we are crying.

ulomala   vi. call out a challenge to fight with your enemy.

ulombutu   n. tears.

ulu   n. top of something.

ulurani   n. morning.

ulurani dondo   n. dawn. Tamalohi rindi mo teterahi ulurani dondo moiso mo tovi votambaluhina. The man rose at dawn and called out to his wife.

uluvou   n. young man, youth. Tovon le uluvou mole boi unui heletu. When he was young he used to like pig hunting.

undu-   n. tooth, tusk.

unu₁   vt. hunt.

unu₂   n. tip of something. unui simba tip of knife.

unua   n. hunting. Nia tamalohi unua. He is a hunter/ man of hunting.

ura   n. crayfish. urai tarusa; urai reu saltwater crayfish; freshwater crayfish.

uranji   n. child. Uranji vorivori mo matahu. The little child is scared. See: vauranji.

ure   n. island.

uretahi   vt. encourage, urge someone. Tamana mo uretahia matan a sombuea. Her father urged her to marry(follow) him (the man).

ureure   n. islands.

uri   vt. ask someone to do something.

uritahi   vt. force someone to do something.

uriuri   vi. pester someone, keep on asking, whinge. Muera vorivori mole ngari uriuri. The little boy is crying and whingeing.

utuhi   vt. 1 • hold something or someone tight to oneself, keep something. Niho ombo utuhi na noku soraetauhia. You will keep my agreement. Mo utuhi vonatuna. He hangs on to his daughter (that is, he refuses to let her go, as in marriage.

2 • keep on thinking about something, to brood about something.