mau-mau

See also: Mau Mau

English

Etymology

From Mau Mau, the name of a group of anti-British insurgents in Kenya, who were noted in Europe for their (alleged) extreme violence and brutality.

Verb

mau-mau (third-person singular simple present mau-maus, present participle mau-mauing, simple past and past participle mau-maued)

1. (transitive) To menace through intimidating tactics; to intimidate, harass; to terrorize.
   • 2005, Béla Szabados, Once Upon a Time in the West:

     It was my first experience with the phenomenon that would later be called "mau-mauing the flack catcher."

Derived terms

• mau-mauer