عَوَى

Root: عو

Form: 1

Full Definition

عَوَىI , Present.T يَعْوِى, Verbal.Noun عُوَآءٌ and عَىٌّ and عَوَّةٌ and عَوْيَةٌ, with fet-h and then sukoon, thus in the M, but in the copies of the K عَوِيَّةٌ, said of a dog, and of a wolf, and of a jackal, He cried, or cried loudly: [meaning he howled:] he twisted his muzzle, then uttered a cry: or he prolonged his cry, not doing so with clearness: and اعتوى signifies the same: [in the Ham p. 693, the former is expl. as signifying نَبَحَ and صَاحَ; but] it is said that عَوَّةٌ signifies a prolonged crying; and is not the same as نَبْحٌ [which means “ a barking ”]. It is said in a prov. لَوْ لَكَ أَعْوِى مَا عَوَيْتُ [If to thee I were howling, I had not howled]; or لَوْ لَكَ عَوَيْتُ لَمْ أَعْوِهْ, in which the ه may be the ه of pausation, or it may be put by metonymy for the Verbal.Noun so that the meaning is لَمْ أَعْوِ العُوَآءَ: it originated from the fact that a man used, [and still uses, as I have had occasion to do,] when becoming benighted, in the desert, to howl, in order that the dogs, if any person by whose presence he might be cheered were near him, might hear, and reply to him, and he might be guided by their howling: so this man howled, and the wolf came to him, whereupon he said thus: it relates to the seeker of succour from him who will not succour him. And it is said in a trad., كَأَنِّى أَسْمَعُ عُوَآءَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ i. e. [As though I heard] the crying or loud crying [or howling] of the people of the fire [of Hell]: [for] عَوَىَ is used metaphorically as meaning he suffered distress, and complained; from the عُوَآء of the dog: as IAth says, it is more especially used in relation to the wolf and the dog. And one says of him who is esteemed, or found to be, weak, مَا يَعْوِى وَمَا يَنْبَحُ [He does not howl nor does he bark].
2 And عَوَى إِلَى الفِتْنَةِ means He called people, or a party, [to conflict and faction, or the like;] عَوَى being used in this sense by way of likening the person who does so to a dog, or in contempt of him. [See also 10.]
3 عُوَآءٌ signifies also The grumbling cry (رُغَآء) of a weak young camel: used in this sense by a poet.
4 عُوَآءُ المُغْتَابِ; and the phrase عَوَى عَنِ الرَّجُلِ; see in the next paragraph.

def.2 عَوَى, Verbal.Noun عَىٌّ, He bent a thing; as also اعتوى ; and likewise a bow; as also , Verbal.Noun تَعْوِيَةٌ: and he twisted hair, and a rope; as also , Verbal.Noun تَعْوِيَةٌ. One says also عَوَى العِمَامَةَ عَيَّةً He twisted the turban with a single twisting. And عَوَيْتُ رَأْسَ النَّاقَةِ I turned the head of the she-camel by means of the nose-rein. And القَوْمُ صُدُورَ رِكَابهِمْ and عَوَوْهَا The party inclined the breasts of their camels that they were riding. And عَوَى البُرَةَ He bent, or inclined, the nose-ring of the she-camel. And النَّاقَةُ تَعْوِى بُرَتَهَا فِى سَيْرِهَا The she-camel twists her nose-ring with her خِطَام [or halter] in her going. And عَوَاهُ عَنِ الشَّىْءِ He turned him from the thing. And one says of the man who possesses prudence, or discretion, and precaution, or good judgment, and who is hardy, strong, or sturdy, ما ينهى ولا يعوى [i. e. مَا يُنْهَى وَلَا يُعْوَى He is not forbidden nor is he turned].
2 And عَوَى signifies also He attained to the age of thirty years, so that his arm, or hand, became strong, and he twisted vehemently the arm, or hand, of another.

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