سَوَآءٌ
Root: سوى
Full Definition
سَوَآءٌ
[in some copies of the K erroneously written without ء] in its primary acceptation is an Verbal.Noun, [but without a proper verb, used as a simple subst.,] meaning Equality, equability, uniformity, or evenness; syn. اِسْتِوَآءٌ; as also
سَوِيَّةٌ : or [rather] it is a subst., meaning اِسْتِوَآءٌ, from اِسْتَوَى in the sense of اِعْتَدَلَ; and signifies [as above: and] equity, justice, or rectitude; syn. عَدْلٌ; as also
; and
سِوًى and
سُوًى , as well as سَوَآءٌ, accord. to Fr, are syn. with نَصَفٌ; and accord. to him, and to Akh, syn. with عَدْلٌ; [but app., only syn. with عَدْلٌ and نَصَفٌ not as a subst. but as an epithet, like وَسَطٌ thus used, as will be shown by what follows, although] each said by Er-Rághib to be originally an Verbal.Noun One says, هُمَا عَلَى مِنْ هٰذَا الأَمْرِ, meaning سَوَآءٍ [i. e. They two are on an equality, or on a par, in respect of this affair, or case]: and
هُمْ عَلَى , meaning [likewise] اِسْتِوَآءٌ [i. e. They are on an equality, or on a par], فِى هٰذَا الأَمْرِ [in this affair, or case]. And
قَسَمْتُ الشَّىْءَ بَيْنَهُمَا , meaning بِالعَدْلِ [i. e. I divided the thing between them two with equity, justice, or rectitude]. And it is said in the Kur [viii. 60], فَٱنْبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَوَآءٍ, meaning عَدْلٍ [as expl. in art. نبذ, q. v.]. [Hence,] لَيْلَةُ السَّوَآءِ
The night of the thirteenth [of the lunar month; the first being that on which the new moon is first seen]; in which the moon becomes equable or uniform (يَسْتَوِى) [in illumination]: or the night of the fourteenth.
2 And i. q. وَسَطٌ [as meaning The middle, or midst, of a thing]; as also سُوًى and سِوًى . Hence, سَوَآءُ الشَّىْءِ The middle, or midst, of the thing; as also and . It is said in the Kur [xxxvii. 53,] فَرَآهُ فِى سَوَآءِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ [And he shall see him] in the middle or midst [of the fire of Hell]. In like manner also one says سَوَآءُ السَّبِيلِ [The middle of the road]: or, accord. to Fr, it means the right direction of the road or way. And one says, اِنْقَطَعَ سَوَائِى, meaning My waist [broke], or my middle. And سَوَآءُ النَّهَارِ means The middle of the day. (M, K. [In some copies of the K, مُتَّسَعُهُ is erroneously put for مُنْتَصَفُهُ.])
3 [Hence, perhaps, as being generally the middle or nearly so,] The summit of a mountain. And An [eminence, or a hill, or the like, such as is termed] أَكَمَة: or a [stony tract such as is termed] حَرَّة: or the head of a حَرَّة.
def.2 It is also used as an epithet; and signifies Equal, equable, uniform, or even; syn. مُسْتَوٍ ; applied in this sense to a place; as also, thus applied, سَوِىٌّ , and سِىٌّ ; or these two signify, thus applied, [like سَوَآءٌ as expl. hereafter,] equidistant in respect of its two extremities. And as syn. with مُسْتَوٍ , it is applied [to a fem. noun as well as to a sing., and] to one and more than one, because it is originally an Verbal.Noun; whence the phrase لَيْسُوا سَوَآءً [They are not equal; in the Kur iii. 109]. Using it in this sense, one says أَرْضٌ سَوَآءٌ [An even land]: and دَارٌ سَوَآءٌ A house uniform (
2 [Hence,] it signifies also Complete: you say, هٰذَا
3 And Equitable, just, or right; syn. عَدْلٌ: used in this sense in the saying in the Kur [iii. 57], تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ [Come ye to an equitable, or a just, or right, sentence, or proposition, between us and you].
4 And Equidistant, or midway, (عَدْلٌ, and وَسَطٌ, S, or نَصَفٌ, Mughnee,) between two parties, or between two places; applied as an epithet to a place; as also سِوًى and سُوًى ; of which three words the second (سِوًى) is the most chaste; or the last two signify equal (مُسْتَوٍ) in respect of its two extremities; and are used as epithets and as adv. ns.; originally, inf. ns. مَكَانًا سِوًى and سُوًى , in the Kur xx. 60, accord. to different readings, means A place equidistant, or midway, between us and thee, or to the comer from each of the two extremities: or مَكَانٌ سِوًى and سُوًى means مُعْلَمٌ [i. e. a place marked], or مَعْلَمٌ, which is for ذُو مَعْلَمٍ, meaning having a mark, or sign, by which one is guided, or directed, thereto.
5 [Also Equal, or alike, in any respect.] One says, مَرَرْتُ بِرَجُلٍ سَوَآءٍ وَالعَدَمُ, and وَالعَدَمُ, and سِوًى وَالعَدَمُ, and سُوًى وَالعَدَمُ, meaning وُجُودُهُ وَعَدَمُهُ سَوَآءٌ [i. e. I passed by a man whose existence and whose non-existence are equal, or alike, to me, or in my opinion]: and Sb mentions the phrase, سَوَآءٌ هُوَ وَالعَدَمُ [as meaning His existence and his nonexistence are equal, or alike, to me]. And سَوَآءٌ عَلَىَّ قُمْتَ أَوْ قَعَدْتَ [It is equal, or alike, to me, that thou stand or that thou sit, or whether thou stand or sit; or that thou stand or that thou sit is equal, or alike, to me: see Kur ii. 5, and the expositions thereof]. [And سِوًى is used as an adv. n., or as an Verbal.Noun adverbially, meaning Alike: see an ex. in a verse cited voce سَبْتٌ.]
6 Also A like; a similar person or thing; and so سِىٌّ : [each used as masc. and fem.; and the former as sing. and dual and pl., though having proper dual and pl. forms:] the pl. of the former is أَسْوَآءٌ, and also, but anomalous, or [rather] quasi-pl. ns., all anomalous, and سَوَاسٍ and : and أَسْوَآءٌ is also pl. of سِىٌّ : as to , Akh says, سَوَآءٌ is of the measure فَعَالٌ, and سِيَةٌ may be of the measure فِعَةٌ or فِلَةٌ, the former of which is the more agreeable with analogy, the و being changed into ى in سِيَةٌ because of the kesreh before it, for it is originally سِوْيَةٌ; and it is from أَسْوَيْتُ الشَّىْءَ meaning “ I neglected the thing: ” [see 4:] accord. to Aboo-'Alee, the ى in سَوَاسِيَةٌ is changed from the و in سَوَاسِوَةٌ, in which latter some preserve it to show that it is the final radical: accord. to Fr, سَوَاسِيَةٌ has no sing., and relates only to equality in evil: so in the saying,
7 See also سِوًى in six places.
2 And i. q. وَسَطٌ [as meaning The middle, or midst, of a thing]; as also سُوًى and سِوًى . Hence, سَوَآءُ الشَّىْءِ The middle, or midst, of the thing; as also and . It is said in the Kur [xxxvii. 53,] فَرَآهُ فِى سَوَآءِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ [And he shall see him] in the middle or midst [of the fire of Hell]. In like manner also one says سَوَآءُ السَّبِيلِ [The middle of the road]: or, accord. to Fr, it means the right direction of the road or way. And one says, اِنْقَطَعَ سَوَائِى, meaning My waist [broke], or my middle. And سَوَآءُ النَّهَارِ means The middle of the day. (M, K. [In some copies of the K, مُتَّسَعُهُ is erroneously put for مُنْتَصَفُهُ.])
3 [Hence, perhaps, as being generally the middle or nearly so,] The summit of a mountain. And An [eminence, or a hill, or the like, such as is termed] أَكَمَة: or a [stony tract such as is termed] حَرَّة: or the head of a حَرَّة.
def.2 It is also used as an epithet; and signifies Equal, equable, uniform, or even; syn. مُسْتَوٍ ; applied in this sense to a place; as also, thus applied, سَوِىٌّ , and سِىٌّ ; or these two signify, thus applied, [like سَوَآءٌ as expl. hereafter,] equidistant in respect of its two extremities. And as syn. with مُسْتَوٍ , it is applied [to a fem. noun as well as to a sing., and] to one and more than one, because it is originally an Verbal.Noun; whence the phrase لَيْسُوا سَوَآءً [They are not equal; in the Kur iii. 109]. Using it in this sense, one says أَرْضٌ سَوَآءٌ [An even land]: and دَارٌ سَوَآءٌ A house uniform (
2 [Hence,] it signifies also Complete: you say, هٰذَا
3 And Equitable, just, or right; syn. عَدْلٌ: used in this sense in the saying in the Kur [iii. 57], تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ [Come ye to an equitable, or a just, or right, sentence, or proposition, between us and you].
4 And Equidistant, or midway, (عَدْلٌ, and وَسَطٌ, S, or نَصَفٌ, Mughnee,) between two parties, or between two places; applied as an epithet to a place; as also سِوًى and سُوًى ; of which three words the second (سِوًى) is the most chaste; or the last two signify equal (مُسْتَوٍ) in respect of its two extremities; and are used as epithets and as adv. ns.; originally, inf. ns. مَكَانًا سِوًى and سُوًى , in the Kur xx. 60, accord. to different readings, means A place equidistant, or midway, between us and thee, or to the comer from each of the two extremities: or مَكَانٌ سِوًى and سُوًى means مُعْلَمٌ [i. e. a place marked], or مَعْلَمٌ, which is for ذُو مَعْلَمٍ, meaning having a mark, or sign, by which one is guided, or directed, thereto.
5 [Also Equal, or alike, in any respect.] One says, مَرَرْتُ بِرَجُلٍ سَوَآءٍ وَالعَدَمُ, and وَالعَدَمُ, and سِوًى وَالعَدَمُ, and سُوًى وَالعَدَمُ, meaning وُجُودُهُ وَعَدَمُهُ سَوَآءٌ [i. e. I passed by a man whose existence and whose non-existence are equal, or alike, to me, or in my opinion]: and Sb mentions the phrase, سَوَآءٌ هُوَ وَالعَدَمُ [as meaning His existence and his nonexistence are equal, or alike, to me]. And سَوَآءٌ عَلَىَّ قُمْتَ أَوْ قَعَدْتَ [It is equal, or alike, to me, that thou stand or that thou sit, or whether thou stand or sit; or that thou stand or that thou sit is equal, or alike, to me: see Kur ii. 5, and the expositions thereof]. [And سِوًى is used as an adv. n., or as an Verbal.Noun adverbially, meaning Alike: see an ex. in a verse cited voce سَبْتٌ.]
6 Also A like; a similar person or thing; and so سِىٌّ : [each used as masc. and fem.; and the former as sing. and dual and pl., though having proper dual and pl. forms:] the pl. of the former is أَسْوَآءٌ, and also, but anomalous, or [rather] quasi-pl. ns., all anomalous, and سَوَاسٍ and : and أَسْوَآءٌ is also pl. of سِىٌّ : as to , Akh says, سَوَآءٌ is of the measure فَعَالٌ, and سِيَةٌ may be of the measure فِعَةٌ or فِلَةٌ, the former of which is the more agreeable with analogy, the و being changed into ى in سِيَةٌ because of the kesreh before it, for it is originally سِوْيَةٌ; and it is from أَسْوَيْتُ الشَّىْءَ meaning “ I neglected the thing: ” [see 4:] accord. to Aboo-'Alee, the ى in سَوَاسِيَةٌ is changed from the و in سَوَاسِوَةٌ, in which latter some preserve it to show that it is the final radical: accord. to Fr, سَوَاسِيَةٌ has no sing., and relates only to equality in evil: so in the saying,
[Equals like the teeth of the ass]. It requires two [or more nouns for its subjects]: you say, سَوَآءٌ زَيْدٌ وَعَمْرٌو, meaning ذَوَا سَوَآءٍ [i. e., lit., Two possessors of equality, or likeness, are Zeyd and 'Amr], because it is [originally] an Verbal.Noun: and هُمَا فِى هٰذَا الأَمْرِ سَوَآءٌ [They two are in this affair, or case, likes]: and هُمَا سَوَاآنِ and i. e. They two are likes: and هُمْ سَوَآءٌ and أَسْوَآءٌ and i. e. They are likes; or, accord. to Fr, the last means they are equals in evil, not in good: and مَاهُوَ لَكَ He is not a person like to thee: and مَاهُمْ لَكَ بِأَسْوَآءٍ [They are not persons like to thee]: and مَاهِىَ لَكَ i. e. She is not a person like to thee: and مَاهُنَّ لَكَ بِأَسْوَآءٍ [They are not persons like to thee]: and لَا لِمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَاكَ [There is not a like to him who did that]: and لَا إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَاكَ [There is not the like of thee when thou doest that]: and لَا فُلَانٍ [There is not the like of such a one: in the CK, فُلَانٌ: perhaps the right reading is لَا فُلَانٌ Such a one is not the like of thee]. سَوَآءٌ and should not be used with أَوْ in the place of وَ except by poetic license: one of the exceptions to this rule is the saying of Aboo-Dhu-eyb,سَوَاسِيَةٌ كَأَسْنَانِ الحِمَارِ
[And they were two like cases that they should not send forth cattle to pasture or send him forth with them when the tracts were very dusty by reason of drought]. For two other exs. of سَوَآء, [as well as of its syn. سِىّ, and for لَا سِيَّمَا also,] see سِىٌّ.وَكَانَ سِيَّانِ أَلَّا يَسْرَحُوا نَعَمًا أَوْ يَسْرَحُوهُ بِهَا وَٱغْبَرَّتِ السُّوحُ
7 See also سِوًى in six places.
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