سبق

سَابِقٌ ذ [act. part. n. of 1, Preceding, &c.: and sometimes it means one of the first or foremost: as is shown by what here follows]: sometimes what is thus termed has one coming up with it; as [sometimes happens] in the case of the سابق of horses: and sometimes it is like him who obtains the winning-cane (قَصَبَة السَّبْق [see art. قصب]); for he outstrips to it and has none to share with him in it, there being none coming up with him. (Msb.) It is applied to a horse That outstrips; as also ↓ سَبُوقٌ: (T, Msb, TA: *) and the pl. [masc., i. e. pl. of the former,] applied to horses is سُبَّقٌ and [fem., i. e. pl. of سَابِقَةٌ,] سَوَابِقُ: (TA:) [or] سَوَابِقُ may be pl. of سَابِقٌ regarded as a subst. like كَاهِلٌ and غَارِبٌ of which the pls. are كَوَاهِلُ and غَوَارِبُ. (Ham p. 46.) ― -b2- By the سَابِقَات mentioned in the Kur lxxix. 4 are meant The angels that precede the devils with the revelation [ that they convey ] to the prophets: (TA:) or the angels that precede the jinn, or genii, in listening to the revelation: (T, K, TA:) or the angels that precede with the souls of the believers to Paradise (Bd, Jel) and with the souls of the unbelievers to Hell: (Bd:) or the horses [ that precede in battle ]: (Zj, TA:) or the souls of the believers, that go forth with ease: or the stars [ that precede other stars ]. (TA. [See more in the Expositions of Bd and others.]) ― -b3- [The pl.] سُبَّقٌ, applied to palm-trees, means (assumed tropical:) That produce their fruit early. (TA.)