Taranaki adj.
(N.Z.) used to imply backwardness, rurality; usu. in combs. below.
 | Faring South 76: Bob related how a row of Maoris would push him off the paths of Wellington’s main streets, and with many insulting gestures, tell him to go to Taranaki, where they said he would be pukaru or finished. |
In compounds
(N.Z.) excessive boasting.
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | cited in DNZE (1998) 81/62: St Patrick’s College, Silverstream (Ed.); and also other secondary boarding schools (e.g. Nelson College, p.c. J.H. Brownlee) Taranaki bullshit, applied to skiting or boasting. | |
| Pagan Game 69: At Maadi he had [...] read all the good news about Hitler getting the shits, no Taranaki bullshit. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. |
1. (N.Z.) a nondescript, inferior cow.
| N.Z. Observer (Auckland) 5 Sept. 20: ‘The Cow-Spanker Spanked’. Taranaki Cow [...]: ‘Hullo, butterfingers! So I’m not the only one that’s being spanked, eh? | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | N.Z. Sl. | |
| Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 112/1: Taranaki cow any nondescript or poorly conditioned cow. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988]. |
2. in attrib. use of sense 1, implying second-rate, inferior.
| Truth (Wellington) 19 Mar. 5: Hail, Cow! [...] if such are desirable citizens, the Taranaki cow slave-shops will provide any amount of them. |
(N.Z.) an unsalubrious road.
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. |
(N.Z.) a gate made of strands of barbed wire interwoven with palings for strength.
| Dict. of Kiwi Sl. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988]. |
(N.Z.) a bottle opener.
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. |
(N.Z.) rain or drizzle.
| TV1 Network News 4 Jan. p.m. [TV] Taranaki sunshine came down with a vengeance in March [DNZE]. | |
| National Radio ‘Country Saturday’ rural programme. 3 Feb. [radio] We’ll leave you with some taranaki sunshine [DNZE]. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. |
In phrases
(N.Z.) cattle dung.
| N.Z. Sl. | |
| Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 112/1: Taranaki topdressing cow dung. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988]. |