الف

اـِلْفٌ ألف ألفى اـلف الف لاف لف آلف [originally an inf. n. of أَلِفَهُ, q. v.,] He with whom one is familiar, sociable, companionable, friendly, or amicable; he to whom one keeps or cleaves; [ a constant companion or associate; a mate; a fellow; a yoke-fellow; one who is familiar, &c., with another or others; (see مُؤَلَّفٌ;)] (M;) i. q. ↓ أَلِيفٌ; (T, S, M, K;) which is an act. part. n. of أَلِفَهُ; (Msb;) as is also ↓ اآلِفٌ; (Msb, K;) and ↓ أَلِفٌ also is syn. with أَلِيفٌ: (K:) the female is termed اـِلْفَةٌ and اـِلْفٌ; (M;) both of these signifying a woman with whom thou art familiar, &c., and who is familiar, &c., with thee: (K:) and the fem. of ↓ اآلِفٌ is اآلِفَةٌ: (K:) the pl. of اـِلْفٌ is اآلَافٌ; (T, M;) which is also pl. of ↓ أَلِفٌ: (TA:) and that of ↓ أَلِيفٌ is أَلَائِفُ (S, K, TA) and أُلَفَاآءُ: (M, TA:) and that of ↓ اآلِفٌ is أُلَّافٌ (T, S, Msb, K) and اآلَافٌ, like as أَنْصَارٌ is pl. of نَاصِرٌ, (TA,) and so, (M, TA,) in my opinion, [says ISd,] (M,) is أُلُوفٌ, like as شُهُودٌ is pl. of شَاهِدٌ, (M, TA,) though some say that it is pl. of اـِلْفٌ: (M:) and the pl. of ↓ اآلِفَةٌ is أَوَالِفُ and اآلِفَاتٌ. (K.) You say, فثلَانٌ اـِلْفِى and ↓ أَلِيفِى [ Such a one is my constant companion or associate, &c.] (T.) And حَنَّتِ الاـِلْفُ اـِلَى اـِلْفِ [ The female mate yearned towards the mate ]. (S.) And نَزَعَ البَعِيرُ اـِلَى اآلَافِهِ [ The camel yearned towards his mates ]. (T.) أُلَّافٌ, (T,) or اآلَافٌ (TA,) is said by IAar to mean Persons who keep to the large towns, or cities. (T, TA.) أُلُوفٌ in the Kur ii. 244 is said by some to be pl. of اـِلْفٌ or of ↓ اآلِفٌ: but by others, to signify "thousands." (Bd, L, TA.) الطَّيْرِ ↓ أَوَالِفُ signifies The birds that keep to Mekkeh and the sacred territory: and الحَمَامِ ↓ أَوَالِفُ Domestic pigeons. (T.)