Three distinct meanings:
- "Grinds" something, typically into a powder (most common definition). Tuuwaa in non-'Iipay dialects. Compare to taawinn (tetewiinn), "irons, presses down". Defined as "grinds acorns" in Barona dictionary, though Mesa Grande prefers wetutt (wetuutt) for "grinds/pounds acorns".
- "Takes a round thing". Similar Tiipay word taayúma "takes it that way, makes it go in a certain direction" suggests taawaa in this sense is composed of etaa- "makes it (do something)" and possibly waa "goes", literally "makes it go", but used to mean "takes it (somewhere)". Compare to a-aa (aachach) "takes away one" and derivative taawaam (tetewam) "takes away a round thing".
- "Carries". This meaning only found in Mesa Grande dictionary, meaning "carries something" in a general sense. Speakers seem to prefer more specific verbs for carrying, based on whether it is carried in the arms, on the back, etc.
Not to be confused with ta'waa, first-person singular of tewaa (tenyeway), auxiliary verb "is/does while sitting".