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حَيَّةٌ

Root: حى

Full Definition

حَيَّةٌ [A serpent;] a certain thing well known: [improperly explained in the Msb as syn. with أَفْعًى:] applied to the male and the female; the ة being added to denote one of a kind, as in بَطَّةٌ and دَجَاجَةٌ; [although حَىٌّ is not used as a coll. gen. n.; and] although the saying رَأَيْتُ عَلَى حَيَّةٍ, as meaning [I saw] a male [serpent] upon a female [serpent], is related as having been heard from the Arabs: but حَيُّوتٌ is also applied to the male; the ت being augmentative; for the word is originally حَيُّو [or حَيُّوٌّ]: it is said that it does not die unless by an accident: and they say of a long-lived man, مَا هُوَ إِلَّا حَيَّةٌ [He is none other than a serpent]; and in like manner they say of a woman; as though it were called حيّة because of its long life: [for] some, including Sb, say that it is derived from حَيَاةٌ, as the rel. n. is حَيَوِىٌّ, not حَوَوِىٌّ: and to him who objects that one says رَجُلٌ حَوَّآءٌ [meaning “ a man who collects serpents ”], it is replied that حَيَّةٌ and حَوَّآءٌ are of different roots, like لُؤْلُؤٌ and لَأّلٌ, &c.: but it may be from تَحَوَّى, because of its winding, or coiling, itself; and some say that it is originally حَوْيَةٌ; some, that it is originally حَيْوَةٌ: [the dim. is حُيَيَّةٌ :] the pl. is حَيَّاتٌ and حَيْوَاتٌ, or حَيَوَاتٌ. Hence the prov. هُوَ أَبْصَرُ مِنْ حَيَّةٍ [He is more sharp-sighted than a serpent]; because of the sharpness of its sight: and أَظْلَمُ مِنْ حَيَّةٍ [more wrongful in conduct than a serpent]; because it comes to the burrow of the [lizard called] ضَبّ, and eats its young one, and takes up its abode in its burrow. And سَقَاهُ ٱللّٰهُ دَمَ الحَيَّاتِ [May God give him to drink the blood of the serpents]; i. e., destroy him. And لَا تَلِدُ الحَيَّةُ إِلَّا [The serpent does not bring forth anything save a little serpent]: a prov. applied to the cunning and mischievous, or malignant. And فُلَانٌ حَيَّةُ الوَادِى, or الأَرْضِ, or البَلَدِ, or الحَمَاطِ, Such a one is cunning and mischievous, or malignant, and intelligent, in the utmost degree: [or] فلان حيّة الوادى means such a one is strong in resisting, a defender of his possessions. And حَيَّةُ الوَادِى is also an appellation applied to The lion; because of his cunning, or craftiness. One says also, هُمْ حَيَّةُ الأَرْضِ, meaning They are cunning, guileful, malignant, or mischievous, and strong, not neglecting to take blood-revenge: so in a saying of Dhu-l-Isba' El-'Adwánee cited voce عَذِيرٌ. And فُلَانٌ حَيَّةٌ ذَكَرٌ Such a one is courageous and strong. And رَأْسُهُ رَأْسُ حَيَّةٍ He is clever, or ingenious; acute, or sharp; intelligent. And رَأَيْتُ فى كِتَابِهِ حَيَّاتِ وَعَقَارِبَ I saw in his letter slanders, or calumnies, addressed to the ruling power, in order to cause the object thereof to fall into embarrassment from which escape would be difficult.
2 الحَيَّةُ is also a name of [The constellation Draco; commonly called التِّنِّينُ;] certain stars [partly] between the فَرْقَدَانِ [or B and y of Ursa Minor] and بَنَاتُ نَعْشٍ [meaning the stars in the tail of Ursa Major]: so called by way of comparison.
3 And حَيَّةٌ also signifies A certain mark made with a hot iron upon the neck, and upon the thigh, of a camel, twisting, or winding, like the حَيَّة [properly so called].

def.2 See also حَىٌّ.


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