ʻōaka

Meaning

To open wide (as eyes or mouth), to stretch. This describes an expansive facial movement.

Example sentences

• Nani wale ka maka o ke keiki i ka wā i ʻike aku ai i ka iʻa nui, nunui kona ʻōaka.

  The child's eyes were truly beautiful when they saw the big fish, their eyes widening.

• Ma mua o ka ʻai ʻana, ʻōaka kona waha me ka ʻakaʻaka nui.

  Before eating, their mouth opened wide with a big laugh.

• Ua ʻōaka kona mau maka i ke kakahiaka nui i kona ala ʻana mai ka hiamoe.

  His eyes opened wide in the early morning when he woke up from sleep.

About this word

“ʻōaka” is a Hawaiian verb meaning To open wide (as eyes or mouth), to stretch. It is part of the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) vocabulary in the category of Body. Definitions are based on the Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary.