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زِمَامٌ

Root: زم

Full Definition

زِمَامٌ A thing with which one ties or binds, fastens, or makes fast: meaning [the noserein of a camel; i. e.] the cord that is tied to the بُرَة [or خِزَام, each meaning nose-ring of a camel], or to the خِشَاش [or wooden thing fixed in the bone of the nose], and to which, i. e. to the end of which, is tied the مِقْوَد [or leading-rope]: and also applied to the مِقَوْد itself: pl. أَزِمَّةٌ. [See also خِطَامٌ.] It is said in a trad., لَا زِمَامَ وَلَا خِزَامَ فِى الإِسْلَامِ [There shall be no nose-rein nor nosering by which to lead a man in El-Islám]: meaning a practice of the devotees of the Children of Israel, who used to attach rings and reins to the noses, like as is done to the she-camel in order that she may be led thereby.
2 [Hence,] زِمَامُ الأَمْرِ That by means of which the thing, or affair, subsists, and is conducted, or managed, and ordered. And أَلْقَى فِى يَدِهِ زِمَامَ أَمْرِهِ [He put in his hand, or power, the means of conducting his affair, or the conduct of his affair]: and يُصَّرِفُ أَزِمَّةَ الأُمُورِ [He disposes as he pleases the various means of conducting the affairs]. And هُوَ عَلَى زِمَامٍ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ He is on the point of accomplishing his affair. And النَّاقَةُ زِمَامُ الإِبِلِ [The she-camel is the leader of the other camels]: said when she goes before them. And هُوَ زِمَامُ قَوْمِهِ [He is the leader of his people, or party]: and هُمْ أَزِمَّةٌ قَوْمِهِمْ [They are the leaders of their people, or party]. [See also De Sacy's Chrest. Arabe, sec. ed., i. 261 and 503; and see Quatremère's Hist. des Sultans Mamlouks, vol. i., sec. part, pp. 65 and 66.]
3 زِمَامُ النَّعْلِ [The زمام of the sandal] is the thing to which the شِسْع is attached, or tied: or the thong that is between the middle toe and that next to it, to which the شِسْع is attached, or tied: [but for the latter of these explanations, it seems that we should read the thong that is between the middle toe and that next to it: or the thong to which the شِسْع is attached, or tied: the شِسْع being the thong that passes through the sole, and between two of the toes, and to which the شِرَاك is attached: for it appears that the term زِمَام is applied by some to the thong called by others the شِرَاك, extending between the leg and the toes: and by some, to what is called by others the شِسْع, or قِبَال: to the latter as being likened to the cord that is tied to the camel's nose-ring; and to the former as being likened to the leading-rope which is tied to that cord: it being] a metaphorical term, from the زِمَام of the camel: it is [said to be] the thong lies upon the back [meaning upper side] of the foot, [extending] from, or [consisting] of, the fore part of the شِرَاك, lengthwise: [for the term شِرَاك is sometimes used in a larger sense than that above assigned to it:] or it is like the قِبَال, [which is expl. in the same manner as the شِسْع, i. e., as] being between the middle toe and that next to it: [and thus it is expl. by J and Mtr and F in another art.;] the قِبَال of the sandal is its زِمَام, (S, and Mgh and K in art. قبل,) i. e. its thong which is between the middle toe and next to it.
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