أَدْنَى

Full Definition

أَدْنَى Nearer, and nearest; opposed to أَقْصَى: fem. دُنْيَا; in which the [radical] و is changed into ى, as in عُلْيَا and قُصْيَا: (ISd, TA voce بُقْوَى:) [the pl. of the masc. is أَدَانٍ and أَدْنَوْنَ; the latter in the accus. and gen. أَدْنَيْنِ: and] the pl. of the fem., دُنًى, like كُبَرٌ pl. of كُبْرَى, and صُغَرٌ pl. of صُغْرَى; said by some to be extr. and strange [in respect of usage]; and El-Mutanebbee has been blamed for using it; but in the case referred to he has used الدُّنَى for الدُّنْيَا, [not as a pl.,] suppressing the ى by poetic license. [Hence,] غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ فِى أَدْنَى الأَرْضِ, in the Kur xxx. 1 and 2, The Greeks have been overcome in the nearer, or nearest, part of the land. And الجَمْرَةُ الدُّنْيَا [The nearest heap of pebbles;] the heap of pebbles nearest to Minè. (TA. [See art. جمر.]) And السَّمَآءُ الدُّنْيَا [The nearest heaven; i. e. the lowest;] the heaven that is the nearest to us: also called سَمَآءُ الدُّنْيَا [which means the heaven of the present world; as will be seen from what follows]. See also exs. of the fem. in the paragraph commencing with the words هُوَ ٱبْنُ عَمٍّ دِنْىٍ, in four places.
2 Also Former, and first; and fore, and foremost; opposed to آخِرٌ. [Hence,] لَقِيتُهُ أَدْنَى and أَدْنَى دَنًا , (K, TA, [in the CK, erroneously, ادنى دَنّىٰ and ادنى دَنِىٍّ,]) i. e. I met him the first thing. [And أَدْنَى الفَمِ The fore, or foremost, part of the mouth.] And الدُّنْيَا [for الدَّارُ الدُّنْيَا, and الحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا, The former dwelling, or abode, and life; i. e. the present world, and life, or state of existence]; contr. of الآخِرَةُ: [or] it is so called because of its nearness: [and may be rendered the sublunary abode, &c.: and the inferior abode, &c. It also signifies The enjoyments, blessings, or good, of the present world, or life; worldly blessings or prosperity, &c.] And sometimes it is with tenween, when used indeterminately: [thus,] IAar mentions the saying مَا لَهُ دُنْيًا وَ لَا آخِرَةٌ [as meaning He has none of the enjoyments, or blessings, of the present world, nor in prospect any enjoyments, or blessings, of the world to come]; with tenween. And you say, بَاعَ دُنْيَاهُ بِآخِرَتِهِ [He purchased his enjoyments of the present world at the expense of his enjoyments of the world to come]. (Z, TA in art. بيع.) And اَبْنُ الدُّنْيَا means The rich man. (Msb in art. بنى.)
3 Also More, and most, apt, fit, or proper: thus in the Kur [xxxiii. 59], in the phrase ذٰلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعَرَفْنَ [That will be more, or most, apt, fit, or proper, that they may be known]; i. e., that they may be known to be free women, as distinguished from female slaves, who did not cover their faces.
4 Also Less [in number or quantity &c.], and least [therein]; opposed to أَكْثَرُ. وَلَا أَدْنَى مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَلَاأَكْثَرَ, in the Kur [lviii. 8], means Nor less in number than that, nor more in number. And وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْأَدْنَى دُونَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ, in the Kur [xxxii. 21, lit. And we will assuredly make them to taste of the smaller punishment besides the greater punishment], means, accord. to Zj, whatever punishment is inflicted in the present world and the punishment of the world to come.
5 Also Worse, [or inferior in quality,] and worst; or more, and most, low, ignoble, base, vile, mean, or weak; opposed to خَيْرٌ. It is said in the Kur [ii. 58], أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَى بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ [Will ye take in exchange that which is worse, or inferior, for that which is better? or], accord. to Zj, meaning that which is less in value [for that which is better]? ادنى being thus, without ء: Fr says that it is here from الدَّنَآءَةٌ: and Zuheyr El-Kurkubee [or El-Furkubee] read أَدْنَأُ.

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