Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon

دَفَّ

Root: دف

Form: 1

Full Definition

دَفَّI , Present.T دَفِفَ or دَفُفَ Verbal.Noun دَفِيفٌ and دَفٌّ; and ادفّ ; said of a bird, It beat its sides (دَفَّيْهِ, i. e., Msb, جَنْبَيْهِ, M, Msb) with its wings: this is what is meant by the following explanation: it moved [or flapped] its wings for its flight, as the pigeon and the like: and it went [or flew] along a little above the ground: or it moved [or flapped] its wings, with its feet upon the ground, flying, and then rose; and in like manner دَفْدَفَ and استدفّ : [or] دفّ and ادفّ signify also it went along quickly, with its feet upon the ground, and then raised itself flying. It is said in a trad., يُؤْكَلُ مَا دَفَّ وَلَا ُؤْكَلُ مَا صَفَّ, i. e. What moves [or flaps] its wings [in flying], as the pigeon and the like, may be eaten; but [what skims along without flapping,] such as vultures and hawks and the like, may not be eaten. [But] دَفَّ, Present.T دَفِفَ said of an eagle, signifies It approached, or was near to, the ground in its flying.
2 And, دَفَّ, Present.T دَفِفَ Verbal.Noun دَفِيفٌ and دَفٌّ, He, or it, went a gentle pace; as also دَفْدَفَ . Dhu-r-Rummeh uses it metaphorically in relation to الدَّبَرَانِ [the asterism of the Hyades, or α of Taurus], describing الثُّرَيَّا [the Pleiades]; saying, يَدِفُّ عَلَىآثَارِهَا دَبَرَانُهَا فَلَا هُوَ مَسْبُوقٌ وَلَا هُوَ يَلْحَقُ [Their Debarán goes along gently near after them, so that it is not outstripped, nor does it overtake]. [And , accord. to ISd, seems to signify nearly the same: for it is immediately added in the M,] in the saying, إِلَيْكَ أَشْكُو مَشْيَهَا تَدَافِيَا مَشْىَ العَجُوزِ تَنْقُلُ الأَثَافِيَا [app. complaining, to God, of the slowness of his she-camel, as though meaning To Thee I complain of her pressing on slowly and laboriously, like the gait of the old woman removing the three stones for the support of the cooking-pot], the poet means تَدَافُفًا. (M. [But I rather think that the meaning here intended is, going along with an inclining from side to side; perhaps from دَفٌّ signifying the “ side. ” See also 6 in art. دفو.]) One says also, الجَيْشُ يَدِفُّونَ نَحْوَ العَدُوِّ The troops go gently, or leisurely, towards the enemy. And دَفَّتْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَنِى فُلَانٍ [A company coming gently, or leisurely, of the sons of such a one, so came to us]. And دَفَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الأَعْرَابِ A company of Arabs of the desert journeying leisurely in search of herbage and sustenance [so] came to them. And هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَدِفُّونَ, Verbal.Noun دَفِيفٌ, They are a party journeying together not a hard pace. And دَفَّ عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ Verbal.Noun دَفٌّ, He went lightly upon the ground; and ذَفَّ signifies the same. And دَفِيفٌ also signifies The act of running.
3 Also دَفُّوا, Present.T دَفِفَ [app. They journeyed to a region of green herbage and waters in consequence of drought: (see دَافَّةٌ:) and hence,] they had rain after experiencing drought.
4 See also 10, in two places.

def.2 See also 3.

def.3 دَفَّ الشَّىْءَ, Present.T دَفُفَ Verbal.Noun دَفٌّ, He uprooted the thing; extirpated it.


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