علهز

Root entry · 6 derived lemmas

This root primarily describes a type of food consumed during times of famine in pre-Islamic Arabia. It was made from animal hair mixed with blood, and sometimes other ingredients. The term also extends to describe something robust or well-nourished, and a specific type of plant.

Derived headwords

العلهزnoun

1.
Famine foodclassical
A mixture of animal hair (وبر) and blood, eaten by Arabs during times of severe drought and famine in the Jahiliyyah period.
2.
Dried blood and hair mixtureclassical
Dried blood mixed with camel hair, pounded and eaten during famines.
3.
Plant with a reed-like rootclassical
A plant found in the lands of Banu Sulaym, characterized by a root similar to that of reeds.

كان طعام أهل الجاهلية العلهز — The food of the people of the Jahiliyyah was al-'il'hiz.

اللهم اجعلها عليهم سنين كسني يوسف، فابتلوا بالجوع حتى أكلوا العلهز — O Allah, make them years like the years of Joseph, and they were afflicted with hunger until they ate al-'il'hiz.

ولا شيء مما يأكل الناس عندنا ... سوى الحنظل العامي والعلهز الفسل — And there is nothing that people eat here... except the common colocynth and the weak al-'il'hiz.

علهزother

1.
To mix blood with hairclassical
To prepare the famine food by mixing blood with animal hair.

علهزnoun

1.
Large tickclassical
A large tick, possibly referring to its blood-sucking nature similar to the famine food.

ويقال للقراد الضخم: علهز — And the large tick is called 'il'hiz.

علهزadjective

1.
Weak, feebleclassical
Describing the 'il'hiz plant as weak or feeble, possibly due to its limited edibility or growth.

والعلهز الفسل — And the weak al-'il'hiz.

قرفnoun

1.
Dry dungclassical
Dry dung, mentioned as a food item alongside 'il'hiz during hardship.

وإن قرى قحطان قرف وعلهز — And if the hospitality of Qahtan is dry dung and 'il'hiz...

معلهزadjective

1.
Well-nourishedclassical
Describing someone or something that is well-fed and healthy, implying good nourishment.
2.
Undercooked meatclassical
Meat that has not been fully cooked or is underdone.

المعلهز الحسن الغذاء — The well-nourished, good in nourishment.

لحم معلهز إذا لم ينضج — Under-cooked meat if it is not cooked.

Parallel reading

وبر يخلط بدماء الحلم كانت العرب في الجاهلية تأكله في الجدب

Hair mixed with the blood of the 'hulm' (a type of animal or substance), which the Arabs in the Jahiliyyah used to eat during times of drought.

العلهز الوبر مع دم الحلم

Al-'il'hiz is hair with the blood of the 'hulm'.

وإنما كان ذلك في الجاهلية يعالج بها الوبر مع دماء الحلم يأكلونه

And that was only in the Jahiliyyah; they would prepare the hair with the blood of the 'hulm' and eat it.

وأنشد ابن شميل: وإن قرى قحطان قرف وعلهز ... فأقبح بهذا ويح نفسك من فعل

And Ibn Shumayl recited: 'And if the hospitality of Qahtan is dry dung and 'il'hiz... then how ugly is this, woe to your soul, for such an action!'

العلهز دم يابس يدق به أوبار الإبل في المجاعات ويؤكل

Al-'il'hiz is dried blood pounded with camel hair during famines and eaten.

وأنشد: عن أكلي العلهز أكل الحيس

And he recited: 'Rather than eating al-'il'hiz, I would eat al-ḥays (a type of food).

اللهم اجعلها عليهم سنين كسني يوسف، فابتلوا بالجوع حتى أكلوا العلهز

O Allah, make them years like the years of Joseph, and they were afflicted with hunger until they ate al-'il'hiz.

هو شيء يتخذونه في سني المجاعة يخلطون الدم بأوبار الإبل ثم يشوونه بالنار ويأكلونه

It is something they make in years of famine, mixing blood with camel hair, then roasting it over fire and eating it.

قال: وقيل كانوا يخلطون فيه القردان

He said: And it was said they used to mix ticks in it.

ويقال للقراد الضخم: علهز

And the large tick is called 'il'hiz.

وقيل: العلهز شيء ينبت ببلاد بني سليم له أصل كأصل البردي

And it was said: Al-'il'hiz is something that grows in the lands of Banu Sulaym, having a root like the root of papyrus.

ولا شيء مما يأكل الناس عندنا ... سوى الحنظل العامي والعلهز الفسل

And there is nothing that people eat here... except the common colocynth and the weak al-'il'hiz.

ابن الأعرابي: العلهز الصوف ينفش ويشرب بالدماء ويشوى ويؤكل

Ibn al-A'rabi said: Al-'il'hiz is fluffed wool soaked in blood, roasted, and eaten.

قال: وناب علهز ودردح، قال ابن شميل: هي التي فيها بقية وقد أسنت

He said: And a robust 'il'hiz and dardah. Ibn Shumayl said: It is that which has sustenance remaining and has aged.

المعلهز الحسن الغذاء كالمعزهل

Al-mu'il'hiz is good in nourishment, like al-mu'ahzal.

لحم معلهز إذا لم ينضج

Under-cooked meat if it is not cooked.