فحم

فَحْمَةٌ ذ n. un. of فَحْمٌ, q. v. [Hence] one says of a black woman with a red خِمَار [or muffler], كَأَنَّهَا فَحْمَةٌ فِى رَأْسِهَا نَارٌ [ As though she were a piece of charcoal with fire upon its head ]. (TA.) ― -b2- [And hence,] فَحْمَةُ اللَّيْلِ The first part of the night: (K:) or the blackness of the night: (Msb:) or the most intense blackness of the night: (K:) or the blackness of the first part of the night: (TA:) or the most intensely black part of the night: (S, TA:) or the part from the setting of the sun to [ the time of ] the sleeping of mankind: (K:) so called because of its heat [as well as its darkness]; for the first part of the night is hotter than its last part: (TA:) it is peculiarly in the صَيْف [meaning summer ]; (K, TA;) not in the winter: (TA:) and فَحْمَةُ العِشَاآءِ signifies the darkness of the عشاء [i. e. of the nightfall ]: (S:) or the intenseness of the blackness of the night, and its darkness; which is in its first part: or the time next after the عشاء: (TA:) the pl. is فِحَامٌ and فُحُومٌ: (K, TA:) or the latter of these may mean darkness; as though it were an inf. n. of فَحُمَ. (TA.) فَحْمَةُ السَّحَرِ means The time of the سَحَر [or last part of the night ]. (K.) And فَحْمَةُ بْنُ جُمَيْرٍ is [a proper name of] The middle of the night. (K.)