timo’
Sense 1
English: Translation
To wipe, rinse, or wash the mouth and surrounding facial area, especially after eating or upon waking.
Sense 2
English: Translation
To move the mouth subtly as though chewing or working remaining food inside it.
Sense 3
English: Translation
To pucker, work, or contort the mouth and lower face.
Notes
Usage note: When such facial movement specifically results from receiving a blow on the chin, use tikmo’.
The distinction is therefore:
timo’ profiles the mouth–face movement itself, whereas tikmo’ profiles the chin-strike that produces it.
Manimo’ ika
(Ma- [imperative prefix] + nimo’ [lenited form of timo’, where /t/ → /n/] + ika [2SG pronoun])
“(You) clean your face.”
Extended senses
The root timo’ also describes:
- A subtle-chewing facial expression (e.g., working food remnants in the mouth).
- A grimacing or puckering expression, especially after a facial slap.
Derived forms
- Nagtimo’timo’
(Nag- [past-tense actor-focus] + timo’timo’ [reduplication for repeated/habitual action])
“Grimaced” or “kept making chewing/grimacing faces.” - Nitimo’timo’pa
(Ni- [present-tense emphatic actor-focus] + timo’timo’ [reduplication] + -pa [durative ‘still’])
“Is still subtly chewing” or “still grimacing.”