دِيوَانٌ

Full Definition

دِيوَانٌ , an arabicized word, from the Pers. [دِيوَانْ]; [though some hold it to be of Arabic origin:] J says, it is originally دِوَّانٌ, but ى is substituted for one of the و s ; as is shown by its pl., which is دَوَاوِينُ; for if the ى were radical, they would say دَيَاوِينُ; but accord. to IDrd and IJ, it has this latter pl. also: Sb says that the و in دِيوَانٌ, though after ى, is not changed into ى, as it is in سَيِّدٌ, because the ى in the former word is not inherent; that word being of the measure فِعَّالٌ, from دَوَّنْتَ; [i. e.] it is from دَوَّنَ الكُتُبَ meaning “ he collected the writings; ” as is shown by their saying دُوَيْوِينٌ , which is the dim.: ISk says that ديوان is with kesr only [to the د]; but one says دَيْوَانٌ also, which is mentioned by Ks, as postclassical, and by Sb; like بَيْطَارٌ: the meaning is A دَفْتَر [or register]: or a collection of written leaves or papers [forming a book, generally for registration]: or a register of accounts; an accountbook: and a register of soldiers and pensioners [and others]: the first who instituted, or appointed, or arranged, such a book, among the Arabs, for the prefects, or administrators, and the Kádees, is said to have been 'Omar: accord. to El-Máwardee, it is a register of what concerns the rights, or dues, of the state, relating to the acts of the government, and the finances, and the military and other administrators thereof: then any book was thus called: and especially the poetry of some particular poet: so that this meaning became [conventionally regarded as] a proper signification thereof; i. e. a collection of poetry [of a particular poet]. [Hence,] one says, فُلَانٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدِّيوَانِ, meaning Such a one is of those whose names are written in the register. [Also Such a one is of the keepers of the register; or, is of the registrars. And hence the saying] الشِّعْرُ دِيوَانُ العَرَبِ [Poetry is the register of the Arabs]: because they used to refer to it on their differing in opinion respecting genealogies and wars or fights and the appointing of stipends or allowances from the government-treasury, like as the people of the ديوان [properly so called] refer to their ديوان in a case that is doubtful to them; or because it was the depository of their sciences, and the preserver of their rules of discipline, and the mine of their histories.
2 Afterwards, also, it was applied to signify An account, or a reckoning.
3 And Writers [of accounts or reckonings].
4 And A place of account or reckoning, and of writers [of accounts or reckonings]
5 [Also A council, court, or tribunal: see دَسْتٌ. Hence أَهْلُ الدِّيوَانِ sometimes means The people of the council, court, or tribunal.
6 And also, in the present day, A long seat, formed of a mattress laid against the side of a room, upon the floor or upon a raised structure or frame, with cushions to lean against; or two or more of such mattresses &c. similarly placed.]

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Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon

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