Nyaudzosingwi starting with P

Figurative Expressions

• paDescribes striking hard with an open palm or with something broad and flat.
• paduDescribes a thing splitting or cracking open, usually because it has been overfilled.
• paiDescribes a thing that has become caught and is held up above the ground, perhaps in a tree, when it was expected to come down.
• paka pakaUsed of people who are packing up hurriedly.
• pamheDescribes repeating an action, or adding something on top of other things.
• pamuDescribes striking a person hard with the palm of the hand. Also the noise made by things being pounded in a mortar.
• pamuDescribes a vessel being filled right up to the brim.
• panganuDescribes getting just a little something to eat, drink or smoke — only enough to take the edge off the craving — at a time when such things are hard to come by.
• panguUsed of taking a few things away from among many others.
• panyanguDescribes opening the legs apart so that the private parts may be seen.
• papa papaThe sound of a bird's wings beating against its body as it flies.
• papanyaDescribes something that is stiff and hard, especially cloth or hides.
• papara paparaDescribes the repeated beating of the wings by a fowl or bird when it is about to fly.
• papataDescribes a thing being extremely hard or dried out.
• paramuUsed of committing a very great offence.
• pataThe noise made by something like mud or porridge when it falls to the ground.
• patiDescribes waking up quickly.
• pauDescribes snapping a branch off a tree quickly.
• pazuDescribes chopping branches off a tree.
• penenguDescribes opening something quickly.
• penzuUsed of finishing off a problem that had been troubling one.
• pepereDescribes a person leaving and going away for good.
• pepere pepereDescribes the fluttering to and fro of paper or cloth being blown about by the wind.
• peperere
• pepfu
• pera peraDescribes something moving about in a way that shows it has no strength.
• pesengu
• petuDescribes folding paper or cloth over so that it becomes small. Also describes turning around and going back the way one came.
• peya peyaDescribes walking on weak legs, from illness or from being weighed down.
• pfaDescribes gripping something soft firmly.
• pfa pfaDescribes pouring water in short bursts — letting it run out briefly, then shutting it off and opening it again.
• pfa pfa raThe sound made when fatty things burn, or when they are right in the fire.
• pfachaDescribes a person's sudden, unexpected arrival at a place.
• pfacharaDescribes the manner of walking of a person dressed in torn, ragged clothes.
• pfachuDescribes water splashing and scattering far off, as when something is thrown into water that has collected somewhere.
• pfakanyaDescribes a movement of the body showing signs of life in a person, or in an animal that was thought to be dead or asleep.
• pfakanyuVariant spelling of "pfakanya".
• pfapfanyuDescribes biting into a large piece of tender meat.
• pfarapfataDescribes the flapping and thrashing of a chicken or bird that is dying.
• pfari pfariDescribes the thrashing about of an animal or bird that is at the point of death.
• pfau pfauDescribes the thrashing or flapping about of an animal or bird that is dying.
• pfazuDescribes cutting off a small piece of something.
• pfeDescribes a thing having gone into some place.
• pfekecheThe sound made when a person walks over dry leaves.
• pfemveketeVariant spelling of "undundu".
• pfetse
• pfi pfiUsed of people laughing while trying to stifle or conceal their laughter.
• pfichiri pfichiriDescribes repeated startled jerking or twitching, as a cow does when it first begins to be milked.
• pfichuDescribes quietly letting out a foul-smelling gas — breaking wind silently.
• pfiki pfikiDescribes putting oneself in a concealed place; to hide oneself away.
• pfikuDescribes the onset of weeping, when a person's tears begin to flow and their breath comes in gasps.
• pfizuDescribes a person looking like one who is dead, especially after an accident and injury, or after seeing something terrifying. Also describes a person being thoroughly full after eating.
• pfoDescribes striking a person in the face with a fist.
• pfo pfo pfoThe sound of air being pumped into a tyre with a pump that pumps hard.
• pfocheDescribes stuffing one's mouth full of food. Also used of speaking things that have no bearing on the matter under discussion.
• pfochoDescribes running away in flight, especially when one has been overpowered or fears being overpowered by the one being fled from.
• pfodoDescribes sleeping very deeply, so that whatever happens one may fail to hear it. Also describes striking someone in the face with a fist, or pinching a person painfully.
• pfodogo
• pfonyeDescribes filling the mouth with food; also cramming things into something, forcing them in so they fit. Used of clothing, it means tucking a shirt into trousers or a blouse into a skirt.
• pforiDescribes sleeping exceedingly deeply, to the point of forgetting what is going on outside. Also describes going to some place such as a forest or an unfamiliar area and becoming lost.
• pforiworiDescribes the piercing of something as it goes into thin skin or into some other soft thing.
• pfoveDescribes striking or punching something so that it is left dented inwards and damaged.
• pfozoVariant spelling of "fozo".
• pfuDescribes the expelling of mucus or of dust that is in the nose.
• pfu-uDescribes giving off a smell that makes the place where one is stink.
• pfuchaDescribes filling a container with grain; filling things up so full that some spills over.
• pfucheDescribes giving off a smell that offends those who are near you.
• pfuchuVariant spelling of "pfichi".
• pfuduguDescribes removing a cloth or grass that had covered or wrapped something, leaving it exposed.
• pfudunuDescribes a knife coming off from where it was fastened, working itself loose. Compare -fundunu.
• pfudzunuVariant spelling of "pfudunu".
• pfugadaDescribes bending the knees to show respect to an elder whom one is greeting or handing something to. Also describes folding the front legs, as a goat does when drinking water.
• pfuguduVariant spelling of "pfudugu".
• pfugumuDescribes breaking a piece off something that is hard but crumbles away.
• pfukuchu pfukuchu
• pfukumuDescribes the rising of dust in a house where there has been feasting or dancing.
• pfumbaDescribes gripping something in the hand, the thing being so small that the hand closes right around it.
• pfumbuDescribes dust rising up because of a whirlwind or other things capable of lifting it.
• pfumbunuDescribes taking fruit out of the place where it had been put away to ripen.
• pfumburuVariant spelling of "pfumbu".
• pfumvumaUsed of a person sitting stooped over towards the ground, in a way that stirs pity.
• pfundumwaUsed of a person who keeps the mouth shut in anger; to sulk in silence.
• pfunga pfungaDescribes a small amount of smoke rising into the air.
• pfungeDescribes smelling very strongly.
• pfunhu
• pfunzunuUsed of something that was twisted or tied together coming undone or unravelling.
• pfupfuThe sound made by a hollow log as it burns inside.
• pfupfuduDescribes pieces breaking off a clod when it is thrown down.
• pfupfuri pfupfuriUsed of a person walking in a manner showing that the place they are in is frightening.
• pfupfuruThe sound a fowl makes when it has been cut with a knife and is dying: pfupfuru pfupfuru.
• pfuraDescribes the falling asleep of a person who is tired out.
• pfurunyuDescribes stripping the grass thatch off the roof of a house.
• pfurupfutuDescribes something whose body twitches convulsively, as a fowl does when it has been cut with a knife and is about to die, or a person seized by a fit.
• pfutuDescribes releasing a person or cattle that had been held in captivity or tied up.
• pfutunuUsed of something coming loose from where it was fastened or tied; of a wire or rope, slipping free of what it had been binding.
• pfuuDescribes passing something that is ahead of you, running so as to overtake it.
• pfyuDescribes the spitting and leaping of oil in a pot, as when cold water is added to it.
• pi-iThe sound of a bus, motorcycle or car sounding its horn.
• pibvuDescribes striking a fat person hard, on their sagging flesh.
• pida pidaUsed of a short, stout person walking with small steps and looking weighed down by their own body; compare tanhu tanhu.
• pidi-igu nyondeDescribes a car rolling over rapidly after overturning, continuing forward to crash.
• pidibuVariant spelling of "pidigu".
• pidiguDescribes a car turning over so that its wheels point up into the air.
• pigiThe thudding sound made by a horse's legs as they strike the ground.
• pigida pigidaDescribes walking with short steps, with a thudding tread.
• pigidiDescribes adding things by hand until they become too much, as happens when putting in salt or rubbing on oil.
• pigiduDescribes digging up and removing things buried in the soil, such as stones and sweet potatoes.
• pikiduDescribes lifting a long object such as a log and levering it over to the other side.
• piku pikuUsed of a person walking hurriedly because they have lost their way and are late for where they must go.
• pimhiriDescribes the falling of something like a large bone as it drops onto the ground or onto something soft.
• pindikitiDescribes entering right into a house quickly, or at a moment when the people inside were not expecting you.
• pindimbi
• pindirikitiVariant spelling of "pindikiti".
• pinduDescribes turning off the path you were following and taking another, or changing your mind about what you were doing or intending to do.
• pinginuDescribes the seeking out of a medicine that counteracts harmful medicine which has been sprinkled about a homestead or administered to a person.
• pingu pinguThe sound of drums when two or more people beat their drums at different times, yet produce a rhythm.
• piniminiDescribes writhing or wriggling rapidly, as the severed tail of a living creature does. Also used of moving the tail from one side to the other.
• pininguDescribes the unravelling of something that has been knitted or crocheted, as might be done to a jersey or a doily. Also used of towing something along, as with a car.
• pininiDescribes the quivering of something like a spear after it has pierced an animal; also the standing erect of a man's genitals when he thinks of sleeping with a woman.
• pinjiriDescribes placing something in a spot crosswise or at an angle.
• pinyinguDescribes twisting or writhing, spinning round, or getting up suddenly. Also used of overturning, as a car does when it fails to take a corner. See pinyu.
• pinyuDescribes twisting or spinning round, or getting up quickly. Compare pinyingu.
• pipfuDescribes something splitting into two pieces. To say pipfu is to cut something such as a sweet potato with a hoe, pick or knife.
• pipidzuDescribes the lifting up of a heavy object so that one may then carry it.
• pipiri pipiriDescribes floundering about while seeking a way to free oneself and escape, as an animal does when caught by the leg in a rope.
• pipitaDescribes the carrying of heavy things. Compare -bipitira.
• pipitiUsed of carrying heavy things.
• pipituDescribes lifting up heavy things in order to carry them.
• pirimbweDescribes being confused in one's mind by things one does not properly understand.
• pirimuDescribes starting up suddenly, coming to and finding oneself already doing something one had not expected. Example: when water was thrown in my face as I slept in the chair, I sprang up with a start.
• piringaDescribes the crossing or interlacing of things, as a person does when knitting a jersey.
• piringa piringaDescribes the hurried walk of a slender person, taking short steps and swaying slightly, moving from one side to the other.
• piringidoDescribes entering a place in a hurry, as a person being chased does.
• piringindiVariant spelling of "piringido".
• piripitiDescribes the running of many animals all at the same time.
• pirivaUsed of hesitating or being reluctant to do something.
• piro-oUsed of something that is very red.
• pirototoDescribes the rising of a man's sexual organ when he thinks of sleeping with a woman.
• piruDescribes having the intention of wanting to strike or kill a person.
• pishinuDescribes changing one's mind suddenly.
• piti pitiVariant spelling of "pitipiti".
• pitipitiDescribes hurrying into a house or other place, of animals or of many people following one after another; also the deep penetration of one thing into another, as a plough goes into the soil after heavy rain. Also used of moving something like a tail up and down, as animals do when running.
• pitu pituDescribes the hurried moving about of a person searching quickly for something.
• piviDescribes painting one's face, usually done by women to add to their beauty, but here done to excess.
• piyeWhen a thing has gone piye it lies crosswise over some place.
• pobvoThe sound of something falling into water, as a stone that has been thrown does.
• poteUsed of a thing that has moved and gone round to the other side, out of sight behind something.
• pu-uWhen a thing has gone pu-u it has fallen to the ground.
• puguDescribes a person smoking tobacco puffing smoke up into the air.
• pukaDescribes showing great astonishment, so that a person is at a loss what to do. Also describes leaping or jumping up into the air, or landing in front.
• puka pukaDescribes the walking of a person who seems to be wandering about dizzily, showing that he does not know where he is going.
• pukunyuDescribes extricating oneself when one has been tied up or caught.
• pwaThe sound made by something that cracks or splits, such as a plank or a piece of firewood.
• pwakaDescribes treading on something, which usually then gives off an audible noise.
• pwatiDescribes a person bursting out laughing in a high-pitched voice.
• pwititiDescribes the rising of smoke or dust up into the air.