Full Definition
وَزِيرٌ
i. q.
مُوَازِرٌ [One who bears a burden or burdens with another: or one who aids, assists or helps, and strengthens, another: see 3:] like as أَكِيلٌ signifies i. q. مُؤَاكِلٌ, and جَلِيسٌ i. q. مُجَالِسٌ.
2 [A vicegerent of a king or the like: or a confidential minister of state: in English commonly written vizier, in imitation of the Turkish pronunciation; but properly, wezeer:] the familiar of the king, who bears his master's burden, and aids him by his counsel: or the وزير of the king is the person who bears with him (يُوَازِرُهُ, i. e. يُحَامِلُهُ,) the burdens of the regal office: not from مُوَازَرَةٌ, signifying the “ act of aiding or the like, ” because the و in this latter word is substituted for ء, and the derivative from it of the measure فَعِيلٌ is أَزِيرٌ: ISd says, some hold that the و in وزير is substituted for ء; but Abu-l-'Abbás says, that this is not agreeable with analogy; for the substitution of ء for و in a word of this measure is rare, and that of و for ء is more strange: the وزير is so called because he bears for the king the burden of administration: or it is from
وَزَرٌ , signifying “ a mountain to which one has recourse to save himself from destruction: ” so the وزير of the khaleefeh is one upon whose counsel the khaleefeh relies in his affairs, and to whom he betakes himself for refuge or safety: pl. وُزَرَآءُ and أَوْزَارٌ; the latter like أَشْرَافٌ and أَيْتَامٌ, pls. of شَرِيفٌ and يَتِيمٌ.
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