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خَفِيفٌ

Root: خف

Full Definition

خَفِيفٌ a part. n. of 1 [in all its senses, proper and tropical, signifying Light: &c.]: as also خِفٌّ [in the proper sense] and خُفَافٌ : the first is applied to a thing; as also ↓ the second, which signifies anything light to carry, [as also the first;] and light in weight but heavy in price, not incommoding the bearer: and the first and ↓ third are also applied to a man: but, as some say, the first means [light] in body [as well as in tropical senses]; and ↓ the third, [light] in [the sense of possessing] quickness or acuteness or sharpness, and cleverness or ingeniousness: and [in like manner] خَفِيفُ القَلْبِ signifies quick, acute, or sharp, in intellect; and خَفِيفُ الرُّوحِ, the same; or clever, or ingenious: the pl. of the first is خِفَافٌ and أَخْفَافٌ and أَخِفَّآءُ; the first of which three pls. is also pl. of خُفَافٌ : and hence, in the Kur [ix. 41], اِنْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا [explained in art. ثقل]. خِفٌّ is also applied to a boy, meaning Light to carry; as in the saying of Imra-el-Keys, يَزِلُّ الغُلَامُ الخِفُّ عَنْ صَهَوَاتِهِ [The boy that is light to carry slips from the parts of his back whereon the rider sits]: or يُزِلُّ الغُلَامَ الخِفَّ [he makes the boy that is light to carry to slip]: and [it is said that] it means also the hardy, strong, or sturdy, boy. And خَفِيفٌ signifies also Little burdened or encumbered in journeying, or in residence at home; like خِفٌّ and مُخِفٌّ . [Hence,] رَجُلٌ خَفِيفُ ذَاتِ اليَدِ A poor man.
2 [ Brisk, lively, sprightly, active, agile, prompt, and quick. Hence,] خَفِيفٌ إِلَى الخَيْرِ [ Prompt, or quick, to do good]. (TA in art. هش.)
3 [ Light, or easy, of utterance: and light to the ear; light in sound. Hence,] النُّونُ الخَفِيفَةُ [ The lightsounding ن; as in يَفْعَلَنْ &c.]; contr. of الثَّقِيلَةُ: and also applied to the tenween.
4 [ Light, thin, or scanty; applied to the hair of the head &c. Hence,] هُوَ خَفِيفُ العَارِضَيْنِ [ He is light, thin, or scanty,] in the hair of the two sides of the cheeks, (S and O and Msb in art. عرض,) and of the beard.
5 الخَفِيفُ A certain kind of metre of verse; [namely, the eleventh;] the measure of which consists of فَاعِلَاتُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فَاعِلَاتُنْ [in each hemistich].


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