رِيحٌ

Full Definition

رِيحٌ originally رِوْحٌ, the و being changed into ى because of the preceding kesreh, as is shown by its dim. mentioned below; Sb held it to be of the measure فِعْلٌ; and Abu-l-Hasan, فِعْلٌ and فُعْلٌ; [if the latter, originally رُيْحٌ;] [Wind; i. e.] the air that is made to obey [the will of God] and to run its course between heaven and earth: or the breath (نَسِيم) of the air; and in like manner, of anything: said to be thus called because it generally brings رَوْح and رَاحَة [i. e. rest, or ease]: one says رِيحٌ and رِيحَةٌ , like دَارٌ and دَارَةٌ; [using the latter as a more special term; for] رِيحَةٌ signifies a portion of wind (طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ رِيحٍ) [meaning a wind of short duration; or a breath, puff, blast, or gust, of wind]; but رِيحٌ and رِيحَةٌ may be used in the same sense; i. e. the latter may be used as syn. with the former, and they are mentioned by some [as analogous] with كَوْكَبٌ and كَوْكَبَةٌ: رِيْح is of the fem. gender in most cases; and all the other names for wind are fem. except إِعْصَارٌ, which is masc.; but ريح is sometimes made masc. as meaning هَوَآءٌ: [it is used by physicians as signifying flatus, flatuosity, or flatulence; as in the phrase رِيحٌ غَلِيظَةٌ a gross flatus:] the pl. [of pauc.] is أَرْوَاحٌ and أَرْيَاحٌ, the latter used by some, but disallowed by AHát because there is in it no kesreh to cause the و to be changed into ى, and [the pl. of mult. is] رِيَاحٌ, with ى because of the kesreh, and رِيَحٌ; and the pl. pl. is أَرَاوِيحُ [pl. of أَرْوَاحٌ] and أَرَايِيحُ [pl. of أَرْيَاحٌ]: the dim. of رِيحٌ is رُوَيْحَةٌ . رِيَاحٌ, or another form of pl., is often used in a good sense; and the sing., in an evil sense; because the Arabs say that the clouds are not made to give rain save by diverse winds blowing together; and this distinction is observed in the Kur-án. Hence, it is related in a trad., that he [Mohammad] used to say, when wind rose, اَللّٰهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْهَا رِيَاحًا وَ لَا تَجْعَلْهَا رِيحًا [O God, make it to be winds, and made it not to be a wind]. [But this distinction is not always observed.] One says, فُلَانٌ يَمِيلُ مَعَ كُلِّ رِيحٍ [Such a one inclines, or turns, with every wind]. And فُلَانٌ كَالرِّيحِ المُرْسَلَةِ [Such a one is like the wind that is sent forth to drive the clouds, and produce rain; ] meaning, quick, or prompt, to do acts of kindness, or beneficence. And رَجُلٌ سَاكِنُ الرِّيحِ A man who is calm, sedate, staid, or grave.
2 Also Predominance, or prevalence; and power, or force. A poet says, namely, Suleyk Ibn-Es-Sulakeh, or Taäbbata-Sharrà, or Aashà of the tribe of Fahm, أَتَنْظُرَانِ قَلِيلًا رَيْثَ غَفْلَتِهِمْ أَوْ تَعْدُوَانِ فَإِنَّ الرِّيحَ لِلْعَادِى [Will ye two await, a little, the time of their inadvertence, or will ye act aggressively? for prevalence is for the aggressor]. And hence the phrase in the Kur [viii. 48], وَ تَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ [And your predominance, or power, depart]: [or in this latter instance it has the meaning next following.]
3 Aid against an enemy; or victory, or conquest: and a turn of good fortune. One says, ذَهَبَتْ رِيحُهُمْ Their turn of good fortune departed. And إِذَا هَبَّتْ رِيَاحُكَ فَٱغْتَنِمْهَا [When thy turns of good fortune come, avail thyself of them]. And الرِّيحُ لِآلِ فُلَانٍ Aid against the enemy, or victory or conquest, or the turn of good fortune, is to the family of such a one.
4 See also رَوْحٌ.
5 And see رَائِحَةٌ , in four places.
6 Also A good, sweet, or pleasant, thing.
7 The pl. أَرْوَاحٌ occurs in a trad. as meaning The jinn, or genii; because they are [supposed to be often] invisible, like the wind.

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