عف

1 عَفَّ ذ , (S, O, Msb, K, &c.,) aor. عَفِ3َ , (S, O, Msb,) inf. n. عِفَّةٌ and عَفَافٌ (S, O, Msb, K) and عَفٌّ and عَفَافَةٌ, (S, O, K,) He abstained (S, O, Msb, K) from (عن) what was unlawful, (S, O,) or from what was not lawful nor comely or decorous, (M, K,) or from things that should be sacred or inviolable, and base, or carnal, objects of inordinate desire, (TA,) or from a thing: (Msb:) [but it is implied in the K that the verb is used without the expression of the object, or objects; and it is very often so used, as meaning he was abstinent, continent, chaste, virtuous, modest, decent, or decorous: ] and ↓ استعفّ signifies the same; (K;) as also ↓ تعفّف: (Msb, K:) or this last signifies, (S, O,) or signifies also, (K,) he affected, or constrained himself, to abstain from what was unlawful: (S, O, K:) or he was patient, and kept himself remote, or aloof, from a thing [ that was unlawful or the like ]: (TA:) and عَنِ المَسْأَلَةِ ↓ استعفّ means he abstained (عَفَّ) from begging: (S, O:) whence the trad. of the Prophet اِسْتَعْفِفْ عَنِ السُّؤَالِ مَا ا@سْتَطَعْتَ [ Abstain thou from begging, as much as thou art able ]: (O:) or, as some say, الاِسْتِعْفَافُ signifies the seeking to abstain from what is unlawful, and from begging of men: and one says also, عَنِ ↓ اعتفّ القَبِيحِ [ he abstained from that which was evil, or foul ]; this being [likewise] from العِفَّةُ. (TA.) -A2- عَفَّ said of milk, aor عَفِ3َ , (IDrd, O, K,) inf. n. عَفٌّ, (IDrd, O,) It collected in the udder: (IDrd, O, K:) or it remained in the udder; (K;) or thus عَفَّ فِى الضَّرْعِ. (Ibn-'Abbád, O.)