سمو

سَمَاآءٌ ذ The higher, or upper, or highest, or uppermost, part of anything: [in this sense] masc. (M.) ― -b2- [In its predominant acceptation,] a word of well-known meaning; (K, TA;) i. e. (TA) [The sky, or heaven; ] the canopy of the earth: (M, Msb, TA:) in this sense (M, Msb) masc. and fem.; (IAmb, S, M, Msb, K; *) sometimes fem.; (M;) rarely so, and thus as having the next but one of the significations here following: (Fr, Msb:) Az says that it is fem. because it is pl. [or coll. gen. n.] of سَمَاآءَةٌ: (TA:) or it is as though it were pl. of ↓ سَمَاوَةٌ, [or rather its coll. gen. n.,] like as سَحَابٌ is of سَحَابَةٌ: (Msb, TA:) Er-Rághib says that the سَمَاآء as opposed to the أَرْض is fem., and sometimes masc.; and is used as a sing. and as a pl.; as the latter in the Kur ii. 27 [where it is shown to apply to seven heavens]; and that it is like نَخْلٌ and شَجَرٌ and other [coll.] gen. ns.: (TA:) in this sense (M) the pl. is أَسْمِيَةٌ [a pl. of pauc.] (S, M, K) and سُمِىٌّ, (M, K,) the latter [originally سُمُوىٌ] of the measure فُعُولٌ, and both [also] pls. of سَمَاآءٌ in another sense, mentioned in what follows, (TA,) and سَمَاوَاتٌ or سَمٰوَاتٌ, (S, M, Msb, K,) and accord. to the K, [in which all of these are mentioned as though pls. of سَمَاآءٌ in all its senses,] ↓ سَمًا, [in the CK سُمًا,] but in the M سَمَاآءٌ [like the sing., as mentioned above], where it is said that it must be a pl. in the Kur ii. 27 for the reason already stated, as though pl. of سَمَاآءَةٌ or سَمَاوَةٌ; (TA;) and a poet assigns to سَمَاآءٌ the anomalous pl. سَمَاآءٍ, by his saying, سَمَاآءُ ا@لْاـِلٰهِ فَوْقَ سَبْعِ سَمَاآئِيَا [ The heaven of God, above seven heavens ]: (S, M:) the dim. is ↓ سُمّيَّةٌ. (Ham p. 452.) ― -b3- And Any canopy, or covering over-head, of a person. (S, Msb, * TA.) ― -b4- And hence, (S, TA,) The ceiling, or roof, (S, Msb, K, TA,) of a house, or chamber, or tent, (S, K, TA,) and of anything; (K, TA;) in this sense masc.; (Msb, TA;) and ↓ سَمَاوَةٌ also has this meaning. (S.) ― -b5- And The رِوَاق, (M, K,) i. e. the شُقَّة [or oblong piece of cloth ] that is beneath the upper, or uppermost, شُقَّةٌ, (M,) of a بَيْت [or tent]; (M, K;) in which sense it is fem., and sometimes masc.; (M;) as also ↓ سَمَاوَةٌ; (M, K;) [and so, app., ↓ سِمَايَةٌ; for] one says, أَصْلَحَ سِمَايَتَهُ, with kesr, [ He repaired his سماية,] meaning, his سَمَاوَة. (TA.) ― -b6- And The clouds; (Zj, K;) because of their height: (Zj, TA:) or a cloud. (Msb.) ― -b7- And Rain; (S, M, Msb, K;) because it comes forth from the سَمَاآء [i. e. sky or clouds]: (TA:) or a good rain (مَطْرَةٌ جَيِّدَةٌ): (K, TA:) or a new rain (مَطْرَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ): (T, TA:) or, as some say, rain that has not fallen upon the earth; so called in consideration of what has been said above [of its meaning the “ clouds ” &c.]: (Er-Rághib, TA:) [but] one says, مَا زِلْنَا نَطَأُ السَّمَاآءَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَاكُمْ [ We ceased not to tread upon the rain until we came to you ]: (S, TA:) applied to rain, it is masc., and fem. also because of its connexion with the سَمَاآء that canopies the earth; (M;) or it is fem., as meaning سَحَابَةٌ: (Msb:) the pl. [of mult.] is سُمِىٌّ (S, M, Msb, TA) and [of pauc.] أَسْمِيَةٌ. (S, TA.) بَنُو مَاآءِ السَّمَاآءِ is an appellation of The Arabs; [signifying the sons of the water of the heaven; ] because of their keeping much to the deserts which are the places of the falling of rain [by means of which they subsist]: or by مَاآء السماآء is meant Zemzem, which God made to well forth for the Arabs, who are therefore like the sons thereof. (TA.) ― -b8- [Hence, app., as being likened to rain by reason of the swiftness of his running,] a certain horse, (M, K,) belonging to Sakhr the brother of El-Khansà, (M,) was named السَّمَاآءُ. (M, K.) ― -b9- [Hence, likewise, as being likened to rain, (assumed tropical:) Bounty. ] One says, أَصَابَنِى بِرَشْحَةٍ مِنْ سَمَائِهِ (assumed tropical:) [ He gave me a gift from his store of bounty ]. (A in art. رشح.) ― -b10- Also (assumed tropical:) Herbage; because produced by the rain, which is thus called. (TA.) ― -b11- And The back of a horse; (S, Msb, K;) because of its height: coupled with [its opposite] أَرْضٌ [q. v.]. (S, TA.) ― -b12- And of a sandal, [in like manner opposed to أَرْضٌ,] The upper part [ of the sole, i. e. the upper surface thereof ], upon which the foot is placed. (M.) -A2- See also سَمَاوَةٌ.