نقب

نَقِيبٌ ذ i. q. مَنْقُوبٌ, A thing perforated, pierced, bored. or having a hole made through, or in. or into it. (TA.) ― -b2- نَقِيبٌ A musical reed, or pipe. (K.) ― -b3- The tongue of a pair of scales, or balance (K.) ― -b4- A dog having the upper part of his mindpipe (غَلْصَمَتُهُ: so in the S, K or having his windpipe, حَنْجَرَتُهُ: so in the A) perforated, (S, K,) in order that his cry may be weak: a base man performs this operation on his dog, in order that guests may not hear its cry. (S: and the like is said in the L.) -A2- نَقِيبُ قُوْمٍ The intendant, superintendent, overseer, or inspector, of a people; he who takes notice, or cognisance, of their actions, and is responsible for them; i. q. عَرِيفُهُمْ and شَاهِدُهُمْ and ضَمِيُهُمْ: (S, K:) like أَمِينٌ and كَفِيلٌ: (Zj:) their head, or chief: (TA:) like عَرِيفٌ [q. v.]; i. e., one who is set over a people, and investigates their affairs: (L:) or, as some say, the greatest, or supreme, chief of a people: so called [from نَقَبَ “ he scrutinized, or investigated, ”] because he is acquainted with the secret affairs of the people, and knows their virtues, or generous actions, and is the way by which one obtains knowledge of their affairs: (TA:) pl. نُقَبَاءُ. (S.)