حى: ر حى ند حيو

حَيَّةٌ حي حيه حية [ A serpent; ] a certain thing well known: (K, TA:) [improperly explained in the Msb as syn. with أَفْعًى:] applied to the male and the female; (S, Msb;) the ة being added to denote one of a kind, as in بَطَّةٌ and دَجَاجَةٌ; [although حَىٌّ is not used as a coll. gen. n.; and] although the saying عَلَى حَيَّةٍ ↓ رَأَيْتُ حَيًّا, as meaning [ I saw ] a male [ serpent ] upon a female [ serpent ], is related as having been heard from the Arabs: (S:) but ↓ حَيُّوتٌ is also applied to the male; (Az, S, K;) the ت being augmentative; for the word is originally حَيُّو [or حَيُّوٌّ]: (Az, TA:) it is said that it does not die unless by an accident: and they say of a long-lived man, مَا هُوَ اـِلَّا حَيَّةٌ [ He is none other than a serpent ]; and in like manner they say of a woman; as though it were called حيّة because of its long life: [for] some, including Sb, say that it is derived from حَيَاةٌ, as the rel. n. is حَيَوِىٌّ, not حَوَوِىٌّ: and to him who objects that one says رَجُلٌ حَوَّاآءٌ [meaning “ a man who collects serpents ”], it is replied that حَيَّةٌ and حَوَّاآءٌ are of different roots, like لُؤْلُؤٌ and لَأّلٌ, &c.: but it may be from تَحَوَّى, because of its winding, or coiling, itself; and some say that it is originally حَوْيَةٌ; some, that it is originally حَيْوَةٌ: (TA:) [the dim. is ↓ حُيَيَّةٌ:] the pl. is حَيَّاتٌ (K) and حَيْوَاتٌ, (K, TA,) or حَيَوَاتٌ. (So in some copies of the K [agreeably with the dial. of Hudheyl].) Hence the prov. هُوَ أَبْصَرُ مِنْ حَيَّةٍ [ He is more sharp-sighted than a serpent ]; because of the sharpness of its sight: and أَظْلَمُ مِنْ حَيَّةٍ [ more wrongful in conduct than a serpent ]; because it comes to the burrow of the [lizard called] ضَبّ, and eats its young one, and takes up its abode in its burrow. (TA.) And سَقَاهُ ا@للّٰهُ دَمَ الحَيَّاتِ [ May God give him to drink the blood of the serpents ]; i. e., (assumed tropical:) destroy him. (TA.) And ↓ لَا تَلِدُ الحَيَّةُ اـِلَّا حُيَيَّةً [ The serpent does not bring forth anything save a little serpent ]: a prov. applied to the cunning and mischievous, or malignant. (TA.) And فُلَانٌ حَيَّةُ الوَادِى, or الأَرْضِ, or البَلَدِ, or الحَمَاطِ, (assumed tropical:) Such a one is cunning and mischievous, or malignant, (IAar, K,) and intelligent, in the utmost degree: (IAar:) [or] فلان حيّة الوادى means (assumed tropical:) such a one is strong in resisting, a defender of his possessions. (TA.) And حَيَّةُ الوَادِى is also an appellation applied to (assumed tropical:) The lion; (K, TA;) because of his cunning, or craftiness. (TA.) One says also, هُمْ حَيَّةُ الأَرْضِ, meaning (assumed tropical:) They are cunning, guileful, malignant, or mischievous, and strong, not neglecting to take blood-revenge: so in a saying of Dhu-l-Isba' El-'Adwánee cited voce عَذِيرٌ. (TA.) And فُلَانٌ حَيَّةٌ ذَكَرٌ (S, TA) (assumed tropical:) Such a one is courageous and strong. (TA.) And رَأْسُهُ رَأْسُ حَيَّةٍ (assumed tropical:) He is clever, or ingenious; acute, or sharp; intelligent. (TA.) And رَأَيْتُ فى كِتَابِهِ حَيَّاتِ وَعَقَارِبَ (assumed tropical:) I saw in his letter slanders, or calumnies, addressed to the ruling power, in order to cause the object thereof to fall into embarrassment from which escape would be difficult. (TA.) ― -b2- الحَيَّةُ is also a name of (assumed tropical:) [ The constellation Draco; commonly called التِّنِّينُ;] certain stars [ partly ] between the فَرْقَدَانِ [or B and y of Ursa Minor ] and بَنَاتُ نَعْشٍ [meaning the stars in the tail of Ursa Major ]: (K:) so called by way of comparison. (TA.) ― -b3- And حَيَّةٌ also signifies (assumed tropical:) A certain mark made with a hot iron upon the neck, and upon the thigh, of a camel, twisting, or winding, like the حَيَّة [ properly so called ]. (Ibn- Habeeb, TA.) -A2- See also حَىٌّ.