صرع

صِرْعَةٌ ذ A mode, or manner, of throwing down, or prostrating; or of being thrown down, or prostrated: (S, * K, TA:) a word similar to رِكْبَةٌ and جِلْسَةٌ. (S.) Hence, (K,) one says, سُوْءُ الاِسْتِمْسَاكِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ حُسْنِ الصِّرْعَةِ [ The bad manner of holding fast upon one's beast is better than the good manner of being thrown down, or prostrated ]: (S, K:) i. e., when one holds fast, though he ride not well, it is better than one's being thrown down, or prostrated, in a manner that does not hurt him; because he who holds fast sometimes overtakes, but he who is thrown down will not attain: (TA:) a prov.: or, as some relate it, ↓ حُسْنِ الصَّرْعَةِ, which means the good manner of the single suffering of prostration. (K, * TA. [See also Freytag's Arab. Prov. i. 623.])