tabeuta

Bingham: Hiram Bingham, A Gilbertese-English Dictionary (1908, 1953). American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
Sabatier: Ernest Sabatier, M.S.C., Dictionnaire Gilbertin-Français (1954), translated by Sr. M. Oliva as Gilbertese-English Dictionary (1971). South Pacific Commission Publications Bureau.

Bingham

tabeútaa

vt. to break into small pieces as food.

tabeuta

a. a very little, a tiny portion, a few scraps, etc.

vt. tabeuta, tabeutaki, tatabeutaki: to take or give in small portions, bit by bit, to give a little to each one.