عقب

عَقَبَةٌ ذ [ A mountain-road; ] a road in [or upon ] a mountain: (Bd in xc. 11:) or a road in the upper part of a mountain: (Ham p. 287:) or a difficult place of ascent of the mountains: (K:) or it is in a mountain and the like thereof: (Msb:) or [it sometimes signifies] a long mountain that lies across the way, and over which the way therefore leads; long, or high, and very difficult; so called, too, when it is further impassable after it is ascended; rising high towards the sky, ascending and descending; most difficult of ascent; but sometimes its height is one [or uniform ]; and its acclivity is in appearance like a wall: (TA:) [generally it means a road over, or up, or down, or over some part of, a mountain: ] pl. عِقَابٌ. (S, O, Msb, K.) اِقْتَحَمَ العَقَبَةَ [properly signifying He attempted the mountain-road ] is metaphorically used as meaning He entered upon a hard, or difficult, affair. (Bd in xc. 11.) See also عُقْبَةٌ, near the end. ― -b2- It is also n. un. of عَقَبٌ [q. v.]. (S, O.)