Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon

Sign Up
Home › Dictionary › شفة

شَفَةٌ

Root: شفه

Full Definition

شَفَةٌ , also pronounced شِفَةٌ , is a word of which the third, i. e. the final, radical letter is elided; and accord. to some, this letter is ه, so accord. to all of the Basrees, the word being originally , i. e. شَفَهَةٌ, or شَفْهَةٌ, like كَلْبَهٌ and سَجْدَةٌ, because it has the former of the dims. mentioned below, and the first of the pls. mentioned below, with ه, and it is sometimes pronounced شفهة; or, as some assert, the deficient letter is و, the word being originally شَفْوَةٌ, like شَهْوَةٌ, because it has the last of the pls. mentioned below, and the latter of the two dims. mentioned below; both of which assertions are stated on the authority of Kh; [The lip of a human being;] شَفَتَا الإِنْسَانِ meaning the two covers of the mouth of the human being: it is [properly] only of a human being: but it is sometimes, metaphorically, of the horse: and in like manner, of the دَلْو [or leathern bucket] as used by A'Obeyd; but ISd has expressed a doubt whether he had heard this from the Arabs: the pl. is شِفَاهٌ and شَفَهَاتٌ and شَفَوَاتٌ, the second of which is said by Lth to be more agreeable with analogy than the third, though the third is more common, as being likened to سَنَوَاتٌ [pl. of سَنَةٌ]: and Ks mentions the phrase, إِنَّهُ لَغَلِيظُ الشِفَاهِ [as meaning Verily he is thick in the lip], as though the term شَفَةٌ applied to every portion of the شَفَة: the dim. is and شُفَيَّةٌ.
2 [Hence,] هُمْ أَهْلُ الشَّفَةِ They are those who have the right of drinking with their lips (بِشِفَاهِهِمْ) and of watering their beasts.
3 And بِنْتُ شَفَةٍ A word; as also ذَاتُ شَفَةٍ. One says, مَا كَلَّمْتُهُ بِبِنْتِ شَفَةٍ I spoke not to him a word: or مَا كَلَّمَنِىبِنْتَ شَفَةٍ He spoke not to me a word: and مَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ بِنْتَ شَفَةٍ I heard not from him a word: and مَا كَلَّمْتُ فُلَانًا ذَاتَ شَفَةٍ I spoke not to such a one a word. (AZ, T voce ذُو.)
4 And فُلَانٌ خَفِيفُ الشَّفَةِ Such a one is a person who asks, or begs, little of people: and also, importunate, one who asks, or begs, much of people: thus having two contr. meanings.
5 And لَهُ فِى النَّاسِ شَفَةٌ He has praise, or commendation, among the people: and لَهُ فِينَا شَفَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ He has a good report, or reputation, among us. And إِنَّ شَفَةَ النَّاسِ عَلَيْكَ لَحَسَنَةٌ Verily the people's speaking of thee is good. And مَا أَحْسَنَ شَفَةَ النَّاسِ عَلَيْكَ How good is the people's speaking of thee!
6 See also شَفًا, in art. شفو and شفى.


Lane's Lexicon — The most scholarly Arabic-English dictionary available

The product of over thirty years of unrelenting labor. A work of such unique greatness that to this day it remains supreme in the field of Arabic lexicography.

✓ Full text search • ✓ Root-based navigation
✓ Advanced filters • ✓ Mobile access

Go to LanesLexicon

Trusted by 1000+ researchers worldwide
Featured on Fons Vitae • Used by universities globally

Related Words from the Same Root

Verbs

Nouns