شفر

مِشْفَرٌ ذ The lip of a camel; (S, Mgh, Msb, K;) as also ↓ مَشْفَرٌ: (K:) and (tropical:) of a horse: (S, TA:) and (tropical:) of a human being: (K, TA:) or (tropical:) of an Abyssinian, as being likened to that of a camel: (A'Obeyd, TA:) pl. مَشَافِرُ. (S, K.) It is said in a prov., أَرَاكَ بَشَرٌ مَا أَحَارَ مِشْفَرٌ [lit. External skin hath shown thee what a lip hath transmitted to the stomach; ] meaning, the external appearance hath rendered thee in no need of inquiring respecting the internal state: (S, K:) originally said of a camel; (TA;) for when you see his external skin, whether he be fat or lean, you take it as an indication of the quality of his food. (K, TA.) ― -b2- Also The vulva, or external portion of the organs of generation, of a woman: (R, MF:) but this is strange. (TA.) ― -b3- And (tropical:) A piece of land: and of sand: (K, TA:) each by way of comparison [to the lip of a camel]. (TA.) -A2- Also A state of resistance; inaccessibleness, or unapproachableness: (K:) strength, or power; (K, * TA;) vehemence, or hardness, or firmness. (K, TA.) ― -b2- And A state of perdition or destruction: and thus it is expl. as used in the saying mentioned by Meyd [in his Proverbs, perhaps the origin of this explanation], تَرَكْتُهُ عَلَى مِثْلِ مِشْفَرِ الأَسَدِ [which may be rendered I left him at the like of the lip of the lion ]; (TA;) applied to him who is exposed to destruction. (Meyd, TA. *)