عبث

Root entry · 23 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns the concept of playing, trifling, or engaging in idle activity. It extends to meanings of mixing, adulterating, and preparing food items, often through a process of mixing or drying. The root also encompasses notions of confusion and disorder, particularly in social contexts.

Derived headwords

عَبَثَverb

1.
to play idlyboth
To engage in playful, often aimless activity; to trifle.
2.
to tamper withboth
To meddle with something, often in a destructive or pointless way.
3.
to dryclassical
To dry something, specifically referring to drying cheese (قط) in the sun.
4.
to mixclassical
To mix something, particularly cheese (قط) with ghee or other ingredients.

عَبَثًاnoun

1.
playfulnessboth
The state of playing idly or trifling; an act of playing without purpose.
2.
in vainboth
Used adverbially to mean 'in vain' or 'for no purpose'.

أفحسبتم أنما خلقناكم عبثا؟ — Did you think that We created you in play (in vain)?

من قتل عصفورا عبثا — Whoever kills a sparrow in vain

عَابِثadjective

1.
playfulboth
One who plays idly or trifles; one who meddles in what does not concern him.

عَبَثnoun

1.
playboth
Play, amusement, or idle activity.
2.
mixingclassical
The act of mixing or adulterating.

عَبِيثadjective

1.
playfulboth
A playful person; one who trifles.

العَبِثَةnoun

1.
a single instanceclassical
A single time or instance of playing or trifling.
2.
mixed cheeseclassical
A dish made of cheese mixed with ghee or other ingredients.
3.
mixed foodclassical
A food prepared by mixing ingredients, such as barley and wheat.
4.
mixed flockclassical
A flock of sheep or goats that have mixed with another flock.
5.
mixed peopleclassical
A group of people of mixed lineage or from different tribes.

عَبِيثَةnoun

1.
mixed cheeseclassical
Cheese mixed with ghee or other ingredients, prepared for eating or drinking.
2.
mixed foodclassical
A dish made by cooking and mixing ingredients, sometimes including locusts.
3.
mixed grainclassical
A mixture of wheat and barley.
4.
mixed flockclassical
A mixed flock of sheep or goats.
5.
mixed peopleclassical
A group of people of mixed origins or tribes.

عَبِيثnoun

1.
mixed cheeseclassical
Cheese mixed with ghee or other ingredients.
2.
mixed peopleclassical
A group of people of mixed origins.
3.
pickleclassical
In some dialects, refers to a pickle.

عَبَثَ الأَقِطَverb

1.
to dry cheeseclassical
To dry cheese (قط) in the sun.
2.
to mix cheeseclassical
To mix cheese (قط) with ghee or other ingredients.

عَبَثَ بِهِverb

1.
to play with itboth
To play with something idly or to tamper with it.

عَبَثَ فِي مَنَامِهِverb

1.
to move in sleepboth
To move one's hands or limbs while sleeping, as if pushing or taking.

العُوبَثَانِيnoun

1.
mixed drinkclassical
A drink made from flour, ghee, and dates, mixed with milk.

العُوبَثname

1.
a place nameclassical
A proper noun referring to a specific location.

مَؤْتَشِبadjective

1.
mixedclassical
Mixed or mingled, often referring to people of mixed lineage.

عَبَثَverb

1.
to mixclassical
To mix things together, often referring to food ingredients or people.

عَبَثَnoun

1.
mixingclassical
The act of mixing or adulterating.

عَبَثَnoun

1.
making 'abitha'classical
The act of preparing the dish known as 'abitha'.

أَعْبَثَverb

1.
to mix cheeseclassical
To mix cheese (قط) by pouring its liquid over the dry part.

اِعْبَكِلِيverb

1.
mix itclassical
An imperative verb form related to mixing, specifically used for cheese.

اِعْبَثِيverb

1.
mix itclassical
An imperative verb form related to mixing, specifically for cheese.

العَبَائِثnoun

1.
mixed dairyclassical
Refers to mixed dairy products, possibly including cheese and milk.

العَوْبَثَانِيnoun

1.
flour, ghee, dates, milk mixtureclassical
A mixture of flour, ghee, dates, and milk.

العَوْبَثname

1.
a place nameclassical
A proper noun referring to a specific location.

Parallel reading

أفحسبتم أنما خلقناكم عبثا؟

Did you think that We created you in play (in vain)?

قال الأزهري: نصب عبثا لأنه مفعول له، بمعنى خلقناكم للعبث.

Al-Azhari said: 'Abathan' is in the accusative case because it is a direct object, meaning 'We created you for play'.

وفي الحديث: من قتل عصفورا عبثا.

And in the Hadith: Whoever kills a sparrow in vain.

وفي الحديث: أنه عبث في منامه أي حرك يديه، كالدافع أو الآخذ.

And in the Hadith: He was moving in his sleep, meaning he moved his hands, like pushing or taking.

عبث الأقط يعبثه عبثا: جففه في الشمس؛

To dry cheese (قط) is to dry it in the sun;

وقيل: فرغه على اليابس، ليحمل يابسه رطبه حتى يطبخ؛

And it was said: Pour it (the liquid) over the dry part, so that its dry part carries its moisture until it is cooked;

وقيل: عبث الأقط يعبثه عبثا: خلطه بالسمن؛ وهي العبيثة.

And it was said: To mix cheese (قط) is to mix it with ghee; and that is the 'abitha'.

عبثت المرأة أقطها إذا فرغته على المشر اليابس، ليحمل يابسه رطبه؛

A woman mixed her cheese when she poured its liquid over the dry part, so that its dry part would absorb its moisture;

يقال: ابكلي واعبثي؛

It is said: 'Ibkilī' and 'I'bathī';

وظلت الغنم عبيثة واحدة، وبكيلة واحدة:

And the sheep remained as one mixed flock, and one 'bakīla':

وهو أن الغنم إذا لقيت غنما أخرى فدخلت فيها، اختلط بعضها ببعض، وهو مثل، وأصله من الأقط والسويق، يبكل بالسمن فيؤكل؛

Which is when sheep encounter another flock and enter into it, they mix with each other. It is a proverb, and its origin is from cheese and 'sawīq', which is mixed with ghee and eaten;

إذا ما الخصيف العوبثاني ساءنا، ... تركناه، واخترنا السديف المسرهدا

If the 'khaseef' of the 'awbathani' displeases us, ... we leave it, and choose the smooth fat.

وتقول إن فلانا لفي عبيثة من الناس، ولويثة من الناس، وهم الذين ليسوا من أب واحد، تهبشوا من أماكن شتى.

And you say that so-and-so is among a mixed group of people, and a 'lawītha' of people, and they are those who are not from one father, gathered from various places.