حتف

Root entry · 8 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns death, destruction, and doom. It encompasses various ways of dying, often emphasizing a sudden or natural end, and can extend to the concept of fate or inevitable demise.

Derived headwords

الحَتْفnoun

1.
deathboth
The cessation of life, often implying a natural or unavoidable end.
2.
doomclassical
Destiny or fate, particularly when it leads to destruction or death.
3.
destructionclassical
The state of being ruined or annihilated.

حُتُوفnoun

1.
deathsboth
The plural form of 'al-ḥatf', referring to multiple instances or types of death.

حتف أنفهphrase

1.
died naturallyboth
To die a natural death, without external violence such as being killed, drowned, or attacked by a beast; to die suddenly.

حتف فيهphrase

1.
died naturallyclassical
An alternative expression to 'ḥatf anfih', meaning to die a natural death, with 'fihi' referring to the mouth as an exit for the soul.

حتف أنفيهphrase

1.
died naturallyclassical
Another variation of the phrase indicating a natural death, possibly referring to both the nose and mouth as exits for the soul.

حتفها تحمل ضأن بأظلافهاproverb

1.
bringing about one's own ruinclassical
A proverb describing someone who inadvertently causes their own downfall or harm through poor planning or action.

الحَتْفَةnoun

1.
destructionclassical
The state of being destroyed or ruined.

حَتَّافَةnoun

1.
scrapsclassical
What falls from a dining table and is eaten, with the hope of reward.

Parallel reading

فنفسك أحرز، فإن الحتوف ... ينبأن بالمرء في كل واد

Protect yourself, for the deaths... are announced about a person in every valley.

مات فلان حتف أنفه أي بلا ضرب ولا قتل

So-and-so died 'ḥatf anfih', meaning without being struck or killed.

وقيل: إذا مات فجأة

And it was said: if he died suddenly.

من مات حتف أنفه في سبيل الله فقد وقع أجره على الله

Whoever dies a natural death in the cause of God, his reward is with God.

هو أن يموت موتا على فراشه من غير قتل ولا غرق ولا سبع ولا غيره

It is to die a death on one's bed without being killed, drowned, attacked by a beast, or otherwise.

هو أن يموت على فراشه كأنه سقط لأنفه فمات

It is to die on one's bed as if he fell on his nose and died.

والحتف: الهلاك

And 'al-ḥatf' means destruction.

ما مات حتف أنفه فلا تأكله، يعني الذي يموت منه في الماء وهو الطافي

Do not eat it if it died a natural death, meaning that which dies in the water and floats.

إنما قيل للذي يموت على فراشه مات حتف أنفه

It is only said of one who dies on his bed that he died 'ḥatf anfih'.

ويقال: مات حتف أنفيه لأن نفسه تخرج بتنفسه من فيه وأنفه

And it is said: he died 'ḥatf anfayh' because his soul exits with his breath from his mouth and nose.

والأنف والفم مخرجا النفس

And the nose and mouth are the exits for the soul.

والمرء يأتي حتفه من فوقه

And a person meets his doom from above him.

كنت أنا وأنت، كما قيل: حتفها تحمل ضأن بأظلافها

You and I were, as it was said: 'She carries her doom with her hooves'.

والحية الحتفة الرقشاء أخرجها، ... من بيتها

And the speckled 'al-ḥatfah' snake brought it out... from its home.

وحتافة الخوان كحتامته: وهو ما ينتثر فيؤكل ويرجى فيه الثواب

And the scraps of the dining table are like its remnants: which fall and are eaten, and for which reward is hoped.