قطب

قُطْبٌ ذ (S, A, O, Msb, K) and ↓ قَطْبٌ and ↓ قِطْبٌ (S, A, O, K, but some reject the second and third of these, TA) and ↓ قُطُبٌ (A, K) and ↓ قُطْبَةٌ, (so in some copies of the K,) or ↓ قَطْبَةٌ, (so in other copies of the K, and thus accord. to the TA, as on the authority of Th,) The axis, or pivot, (T, A, Msb, K,) of iron, (A, K,) of a mill; (T, S, A, O, Msb, K;) the iron thing that is fixed in the middle of the nether stone of a mill; (IAth, TA;) the iron in the nether stone, around which revolves the upper stone, of a mill: (Ham p. 54:) pl. أَقْطَابٌ (A, IAth, O, TA) and قُطُوبٌ (IAth, TA) and قِطَبَةٌ. (O.) ― -b2- Hence, (TA,) القُطْبُ, (S, O, Msb, K,) and accord. to some ↓ القَطْبُ and ↓ القِطْبُ, (MF,) (tropical:) [ The pole-star: or the pole of the celestial sphere: ] a certain star, (K,) a small star, (ISd, TA,) according to which the kibleh is constructed: (ISd, K, TA:) a star between the جَدْى and the فَرْقَدَانِ, around which the celestial sphere, or firmament, revolves, (S, O, TA,) small and white, and never moving from its place: [but it seems that nebula should be here substituted for star: ] Aboo-'Adnán says that the قظب is a small star always in the midst of the four [ stars ] of بَنَاتُ نَعْشٍ, [which is evidently a mistake,] never quitting its place, around which revolve the جدى and the فرقدان: but accord. to Ibn-Es-Saláh El-Mohaddith, it is not a star, but a بُقْعَة [meaning a spot, or a nebula, ] in the sky, near the جدى, which latter is the [pole-] star whereby the kibleh is known in the northern countries. (TA.) ― -b3- And [hence likewise,] القُطْبُ signifies also (tropical:) The cause, or means, of the subsistence of a thing: and (tropical:) the thing, or point, [or person, ] upon which [or upon whom ] a thing [such as an affair, and a question,] turns: pl. [as above, i. e.] أَقْطَابٌ and قُطُوبٌ and قِطَبَةٌ. (K, TA.) ― -b4- And (tropical:) The chief, or lord, of a people or tribe; (S, A, O, K;) قُطْبُ بَنِى فُلَانٍ meaning (tropical:) the chief, or lord, of the sons of such a one, upon whom their state of affairs turns [i. e. depends, and by whose government their affairs are regulated ]. (S, O, TA.) And قُطْبُ رَحَى الحَرْبِ [lit. The axis, or pivot, of the mill of war, or of the mill of the war, ] means (tropical:) the commander of the army. (S, O, TA.) ― -b5- [In the conventional language of the mystics, it is applied to (assumed tropical:) The hierarch of the saints of his generation, who is also called الغَوْثُ, and is supposed to be pre-eminently endued with sanctity, and with thaumaturgic faculties, and to be known as the قُطْب to none but his agents unless he make himself known: at his death, his place is believed to be filled by another. ] -A2- [قُطْبٌ also signifies A species of plant: ] accord. to AHn, the قُطْب [is a species of plant that ] extends upon the ground like ropes, and has a yellow, thorny, or prickly, blossom; when fit to be reaped, and dry, it hurts men to tread upon it; and is round like a pebble: n. un. ↓ قُطْبَةٌ: (O:) [it is said in the K that ↓ القُطْبَةُ is said to signify a certain plant: and the pl. is قُطْبٌ or قُطَبٌ: (thus accord. to different copies: in my MS. copy, the former; and in the CK, the latter, and there said to be like صُرَدٌ: if the former be right, it is a coll. gen. n.:)] or قُطْبٌ and ↓ قُطْبَةٌ signify two species of plants: and the latter is said to be a certain herb, having a fruit, or produce, and berries (حَبّ) like those of the هَرَاس [a tree that bears a kind of drupe]: Lh says that it [app. the قُطْب, the pronoun being masc.,] is a species of thorn, from which diverge three thorns, resembling a حَسَك [here meaning caltrop: the leaves of its stem resemble those of the [species of trefoil called] نَفَل and ذُرق, and قطب is the name of the fruit: and أَرْضٌ قطبة [i. e., accord. to general analogy, ↓ قَطِبَةٌ, like قَصِبَةٌ &c.,] signifies Land in which this kind of plant grows. (TA.) -A3- See also قُطْبَةٌ.