همس

Root entry · 15 derived lemmas

The root همس (h-m-s) primarily denotes quietness, secrecy, and subtlety, particularly in sound and movement. It extends to concepts of whispering, stealthy walking, and even subtle actions like chewing or the quiet movement of animals.

Derived headwords

هَمَسَverb

1.
to whisperboth
To speak in a low, quiet voice, often secretly or inaudibly.
2.
to move stealthilyclassical
To walk or move with very quiet, almost inaudible steps.
3.
to chew quietlyclassical
To eat or chew food with closed lips, making little sound.

هَمْسnoun

1.
whisperboth
The act or sound of speaking quietly; a low, indistinct sound.
2.
stealthy movementclassical
The quiet sound of walking or the subtle movement of feet.
3.
subtle actionclassical
A subtle or hidden action, such as quiet eating or the quiet movement of animals.

فلا تسمع إلا همسا — So you hear nothing but a whisper/subtle sound.

هَامِسadjective

1.
stealthyclassical
Moving or acting with extreme quietness and subtlety.
2.
quietclassical
Characterized by a lack of audible sound, especially in movement.

والذئب الهامس والليل الدامس — And the stealthy wolf and the dark night.

هَمُوسadjective

1.
quiet-movingclassical
Describing an animal, especially a lion, that moves with very quiet steps.
2.
stealthyclassical
Characterized by stealth and quietness in movement.

الأسد الهموس: الخفي الوطء — The stealthy lion: one whose tread is hidden.

هَمَسَverb

1.
to whisper (to each other)both
To engage in quiet, often secret, conversation with others.

فجعل بعضنا يهمس إلى بعض — And some of us began to whisper to each other.

تَهَامَسَverb

1.
to whisper secretlyboth
To converse in whispers, often implying secrecy or conspiracy.

فتُهَامَسُوا سِرًّا — So they whispered secretly to each other.

هَمِيسnoun

1.
quiet soundclassical
A subtle sound, similar to 'hums', often associated with quiet movement or eating.
2.
stealthy walkingclassical
The quiet sound of walking, barely perceptible.
3.
quiet chewingclassical
Chewing food with the mouth closed, making minimal sound.

والهموس والهميس، جميعا: كالهمس في جميع هذه الأشياء — And al-hamūs and al-hamīs, both: are like al-hames in all these things.

مَهْمُوسadjective

1.
whisperedboth
Spoken in a whisper; characterized by low volume and lack of clear articulation.
2.
muffledclassical
Sound that is suppressed or indistinct.

مَهْمُوسَةadjective

1.
whispered (feminine)both
Referring to a feminine noun or concept that is whispered or quiet.

حُرُوف مَهْمُوسَةother

1.
voiceless consonantsclassical
In Arabic phonetics, consonants produced with a flow of air rather than vocal cord vibration.

والحروف المهموسة عشرة أحرف يجمعها قولك [حثه شخص فسكت] — And the voiceless letters are ten letters, gathered by your saying [ḥathathu shakhṣun fa-sakata].

هَمَسَverb

1.
to crush/squeezeclassical
To apply pressure, to squeeze or crush something.

وأخذته أخذا همسا أي شديدا — And I took it with a strong, crushing grip.

هَمَسَverb

1.
to move slowlyclassical
To walk or move at a slow, deliberate pace.

أسد هموس: يمشي قليلا قليلا — A stealthy lion: walks little by little.

هَمَسَverb

1.
to whisper (of Satan)classical
The subtle, insidious suggestion or temptation whispered by Satan.

والشيطان يوسوس فيهمس بوسواسه في صدر ابن آدم — And Satan whispers and insinuates his whisperings into the chest of the son of Adam.

هَمْسnoun

1.
Satan's whisperclassical
The subtle temptation or suggestion that Satan places in a person's heart.

أعوذ بالله من همز الشيطان ولمزه وهمسه — I seek refuge in Allah from the provocation of Satan, his slander, and his whisperings.

هَمَسَverb

1.
to eat like an old womanclassical
To eat with very small, quiet bites, characteristic of an elderly person with few teeth.

والهمس: أكل العجوز الدرداء — And al-hams: is the eating of a toothless old woman.

Parallel reading

فلا تسمع إلا همسا

So you hear nothing but a whisper/subtle sound.

يعني به، والله أعلم، خفق الأقدام على الأرض

It means, and Allah knows best, the patter of feet on the ground.

وهن يمشين بنا هميسا

And they were walking us stealthily.

وهو صوت نقل أخفاف الإبل

And it is the sound of the camels' hooves moving.

ويقال: إنه الصوت الخفي

And it is said: it is the hidden sound.

ويقال اهمس وصه أي امش خفيا واسكت

And it is said 'ihmas wa ṣiḥ' meaning walk stealthily and be quiet.

فجعل بعضنا يهمس إلى بعض

And some of us began to whisper to each other.

الهمس: الكلام الخفي لا يكاد يفهم

Al-hams: is the hidden speech that can barely be understood.

كان إذا صلى العصر همس

When he prayed the afternoon prayer, he would whisper.

همس الأقدام أخفى ما يكون من صوت الوطء

The whisper of footsteps is the most hidden sound of treading.

والأسد الهموس: الخفي الوطء

And the stealthy lion: one whose tread is hidden.

ليث يدق الأسد الهموسا

A lion that crushes the stealthy lion.

والشيطان يوسوس فيهمس بوسواسه في صدر ابن آدم

And Satan whispers and insinuates his whisperings into the chest of the son of Adam.

أعوذ بالله من همز الشيطان ولمزه وهمسه

I seek refuge in Allah from the provocation of Satan, his slander, and his whisperings.

هو ما يوسوسه في الصدر

It is what he whispers into the chest.

إذا أسر الكلام وأخفاه فذلك الهمس من الكلام

If one conceals speech and hides it, that is al-hams of speech.

الهمس من الصوت والكلام ما لا غور له في الصدر، وهو ما همس في الفم

Al-hams from sound and speech is that which has no depth in the chest, and it is what is whispered in the mouth.

تهامس القوم: تساروا

The people whispered to each other: they spoke secretly.

فتُهَامَسُوا سِرًّا وقالوا: عرسوا

So they whispered secretly and said: 'Rest.'

والحروف المهموسة عشرة أحرف يجمعها قولك [حثه شخص فسكت]

And the voiceless letters are ten letters, gathered by your saying [ḥathathu shakhṣun fa-sakata].

وأخذته أخذا همسا أي شديدا

And I took it with a strong, crushing grip.

فجعل الناقة هموسا

And he made the she-camel move stealthily/slowly.

والذئب الهامس والليل الدامس

And the stealthy wolf and the dark night.

أسد هموس وهماس: شديد الغمز بضرسه

A stealthy and fierce lion: one who strongly grinds with his molars.

سمي الأسد هموسا لأنه يهمس همسا أي يمشي مشيا بخفية فلا يسمع صوت وطئه

The lion is named 'hamūs' because it moves stealthily, meaning it walks with hiddenness so its footsteps are not heard.

أسد هموس: يمشي قليلا قليلا

A stealthy lion: walks little by little.

همس ليله أجمع

He moved stealthily throughout his night.