عفف

Root entry · 24 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns the concept of restraint, chastity, and abstaining from what is unlawful or unbecoming. It extends to self-control, particularly in sexual matters, and also encompasses notions of purity, integrity, and modest living, especially when facing poverty. Metaphorically, it can refer to the remaining milk in an animal's udder.

Derived headwords

العِفَّةnoun

1.
Chastityboth
Abstaining from what is unlawful and unbecoming; self-restraint.
2.
Modestyboth
Integrity and purity, especially in the face of poverty.
3.
Remaining milkclassical
The remainder of milk in an animal's udder after most has been milked.

عَفَّverb

1.
To abstainboth
To refrain from unlawful or unbecoming things, such as forbidden matters and base desires.
2.
To be chasteboth
To exercise self-restraint and chastity.

عف عن المحارم والأطماع الدنية — He abstained from forbidden things and base desires.

يَعِفُّverb

1.
To abstain (present)both
Present tense of 'to abstain', referring to refraining from unlawful or unbecoming things.

وقد عف يعف عفة واستعف — And he abstained, abstains, with chastity and sought to abstain.

عِفَّةnoun

1.
Abstinenceboth
The act of abstaining or refraining from something.

عَفِيفadjective

1.
Chasteboth
One who abstains from unlawful and unbecoming things; self-restrained.
2.
Modestboth
Possessing integrity and purity, especially when poor.

فهو عفيف — So he is chaste.

عَفٌّadjective

1.
Chasteboth
One who abstains from unlawful and unbecoming things; self-restrained.

فهو عف — So he is chaste.

أَعِفَّةnoun

1.
Chaste onesboth
Plural of 'عفيف' (chaste), referring to chaste individuals.

وجمع العفيف أعفة وأعفاء — And the plural of 'عفيف' is 'أعفة' and 'أعفاء'.

أَعْفَاءnoun

1.
Chaste onesboth
Plural of 'عفيف' (chaste), referring to chaste individuals.

وجمع العفيف أعفة وأعفاء — And the plural of 'عفيف' is 'أعفة' and 'أعفاء'.

اسْتَعَفَّverb

1.
To seek chastityboth
To seek to be chaste or to abstain from unlawful things.

واستعفف — and he sought to abstain.

اسْتِعْفَافnoun

1.
Seeking chastityboth
The act of seeking chastity or self-restraint.
2.
Patience and integrityclassical
Patience and refraining from something.

الاستعفاف: طلب العفاف وهو الكف عن الحرام والسؤال من الناس — Seeking chastity: requesting chastity, which is refraining from the forbidden and asking from people.

أَعَفَّهُ اللهverb

1.
God made him chasteboth
A passive construction indicating that God bestowed chastity upon someone.

وأعفه الله — and God made him chaste.

لِيَسْتَعْفِفْverb

1.
Let him seek chastityboth
An imperative form meaning 'let him seek chastity' or 'let him restrain himself'.

وليستعفف الذين لا يجدون نكاحا — And let those who do not find marriage restrain themselves.

تَعَفَّفَverb

1.
To strive for chastityboth
To make an effort to be chaste or to abstain from unlawful things.
2.
To pretend to be chasteclassical
To feign chastity or abstinence.

وكذلك تعفف — And likewise, he strove for chastity.

تَعَفُّفnoun

1.
Striving for chastityboth
The act of striving to be chaste or to abstain from unlawful things.

وتعفف أي تكلف العفة — And 'ta'affuf' means to exert oneself for chastity.

اعْتَفَّverb

1.
To be chasteboth
To be chaste or to abstain from unlawful things.

وعف واعتف — And he abstained and was chaste.

عَفَافnoun

1.
Chastityboth
A state of chastity or abstinence.

يعف عفة وعفا وعفافا وعفافة — abstains with chastity, and chastity, and chastity, and chastity.

عَفَافَةnoun

1.
Remaining milkclassical
The remainder of milk in an animal's udder, especially after most has been milked.
2.
Small amount of milkclassical
A small quantity of milk in the udder before the main milking.

والعفة والعفافة: بقية الرمث في الضرع — And 'al-'iffah' and 'al-'afafah': the remainder of milk in the udder.

عَفَّانnoun

1.
Timeclassical
A specific time or season; an opportune moment.

جاء فلان على عفان ذلك — So-and-so came at that opportune time.

العَفْعَفnoun

1.
Acacia fruitclassical
The fruit of the acacia tree (طلح).
2.
Thorny tree fruitclassical
The fruit of any thorny tree (عضاه).

والعفف: ثمر الطلح — And 'al-'af'af': the fruit of the acacia.

عَفَّةnoun

1.
Old womanclassical
A term used for an old woman.

ويقال للعجوز: عفة وعثة — And an old woman is called 'iffah' and 'uthah'.

عِفَّةnoun

1.
Small white fishclassical
A small, smooth, white fish that tastes like rice when cooked.

والعفة: سمكة جرداء بيضاء صغيرة إذا طبخت فهي كالأرز في طعمها — And 'al-'iffah': a small, smooth, white fish, which, when cooked, tastes like rice.

أَعِفَّةُ الفَقْرnoun phrase

1.
Modesty in povertyclassical
Those who, when impoverished, do not resort to shameful begging.

أعفة الفقر أي إذا افتقروا لم يغشوا المسألة القبيحة — 'Modesty of the poor' meaning, when they become poor, they do not resort to shameful begging.

عَفِيفَةadjective

1.
Chaste womanboth
A woman who is chaste, particularly in her chastity of the private parts.
2.
Noble womanclassical
A lady of good character and noble standing.

وامرأة عفيفة: عفة الفرج — And a chaste woman: chastity of the private parts.

عَفَائِفnoun

1.
Chaste womenboth
Plural of 'عفيفة' (chaste woman).

ونسوة عفائف — And chaste women.

Parallel reading

العفة: الكف عما لا يحل ويجمل.

Chastity: abstaining from what is unlawful and unbecoming.

عف عن المحارم والأطماع الدنية يعف عفة وعفا وعفافا وعفافة، فهو عفيف وعف، أي كف وتعفف واستعفف وأعفه الله.

He abstained from forbidden things and base desires, abstaining with chastity, and chastity, and chastity, and chastity; so he is chaste and abstinent, meaning he refrained, strove for chastity, sought to abstain, and God made him chaste.

وليستعفف الذين لا يجدون نكاحا ؛

And let those who do not find marriage restrain themselves;

ليضبط نفسه بمثل الصوم فإنه وجاء.

Let him control himself with something like fasting, for it is a means of castration.

من يستعفف يعفه الله ؛

Whoever seeks chastity, God will grant him chastity;

الاستعفاف: طلب العفاف وهو الكف عن الحرام والسؤال من الناس،

Seeking chastity: requesting chastity, which is refraining from the forbidden and asking from people,

أي من طلب العفة وتكلفها أعطاه الله إياها،

meaning, whoever seeks chastity and exerts himself for it, God will give it to him,

وقيل: الاستعفاف الصبر والنزاهة عن الشيء؛

And it is said: Seeking chastity is patience and integrity regarding something;

اللهم إني أسألك العفة والغنى ،

O God, I ask You for chastity and richness,

فإنهم ما علمت أعفة صبر ؛

for, as far as I know, they are chaste ones of patience;

ورجل عف وعفيف، والأنثى بالهاء، وجمع العفيف أعفة وأعفاء، ولم يكسروا العف،

And a man is 'aff' and 'afif', and the feminine is with 'ha', and the plural of 'afif' is 'a'iffah' and 'a'fa', and they did not break 'aff',

وقيل: العفيفة من النساء السيدة الخيرة.

And it is said: The chaste woman among women is the noble, good lady.

وامرأة عفيفة: عفة الفرج، ونسوة عفائف، ورجل عفيف وعف عن المسألة والحرص، والجمع كالجمع؛

And a chaste woman: chastity of the private parts, and chaste women, and a man who is chaste and abstains from begging and greed, and the plural is like the plural;

أعفة الفقر أي إذا افتقروا لم يغشوا المسألة القبيحة.

'Modesty of the poor' meaning, when they become poor, they do not resort to shameful begging.

وقد عف يعف عفة واستعف أي عف.

And he abstained, abstains, with chastity and sought to abstain, meaning he abstained.

ومن كان غنيا فليستعفف ؛

And whoever is rich, let him seek chastity;

وكذلك تعفف، وتعفف أي تكلف العفة.

And likewise, he strove for chastity, and 'ta'affuf' means to exert oneself for chastity.

إنا بنو منقر قوم ذوو حسب، ... فينا سراة بني سعد وناديها جرثومة أنف، يعتف مقترها ... عن الخبيث، ويعطي الخير مثريها

Indeed, we are the sons of Manqar, a people of noble lineage, ... Among us are the chiefs of Bani Sa'd and their assembly, a noble origin, whose poor abstain ... from evil, and give generously of their wealth

والعفة والعفافة: بقية الرمث في الضرع،

And 'al-'iffah' and 'al-'afafah': the remainder of milk in the udder,

وقيل: العفافة الرمث يرضعه الفصيل.

And it is said: 'Al-'afafah' is the milk that the young camel drinks.

وتعفف الرجل: شرب العفافة،

And the man 'ta'affaf': he drank the 'afafah' (remaining milk).

وهي العفة أيضا.

And it is also 'al-'iffah'.

لا تحرم العفة ؛

Chastity is not forbidden;

هي بقية اللبن في الضرع بعد أن يحلب أكثر ما فيه، وكذلك العفافة، فاستعارها للمرأة، وهم يقولون العيفة؛

It is the remainder of milk in the udder after most of it has been milked, and likewise 'al-'afafah', so he used it metaphorically for a woman, and they say 'al-'ayfah';

ما تعادى عنه النهار، ولا تعجوه ... إلا عفافة أو فواق

The day did not pass him by, nor did it nourish him ... except for a small amount of milk or a brief interval

بأغن طفل لا يصاحب غيره، ... فله عفافة درها وغزارها

With a young camel that does not associate with others, ... it has the remaining milk of its udder and its abundance

وقيل: العفافة القليل من اللبن في الضرع قبل نزول الدرة.

And it is said: 'Al-'afafah' is a small amount of milk in the udder before the milk flows abundantly.

ويقال: تعاف ناقتك يا هذا أي احلبها بعد الحلبة الأولى.

And it is said: 'Ta'aff' your she-camel, O you, meaning milk it after the first milking.

وجاء فلان على عفان ذلك، بكسر العين، أي وقته وأوانه، لغة في إفانه،

So-and-so came at that time, with a kasra on the 'ayn', meaning its time and season, a variant of 'ifanah',

وقيل: العفافة أن تترك الناقة على الفصيل بعد أن ينقص ما في ضرعها فيجتمع له اللبن فواقا خفيفا؛

And it is said: 'Al-'afafah' is when the she-camel is left with the young camel after what is in its udder has decreased, so that a light amount of milk collects for it;

قال الفراء: العفافة أن تأخذ الشيء بعد الشيء فأنت تعتفه.

Al-Farra' said: 'Al-'afafah' is to take something after something, and you are 'ta'taffuhu' (taking it gradually).

والعفف: ثمر الطلح،

And 'al-'af'af': the fruit of the acacia,

وقيل: ثمر العضاه كلها.

And it is said: the fruit of all thorny trees.

ويقال للعجوز: عفة وعثة.

And an old woman is called 'iffah' and 'uthah'.

والعفة: سمكة جرداء بيضاء صغيرة إذا طبخت فهي كالأرز في طعمها.

And 'al-'iffah': a small, smooth, white fish, which, when cooked, tastes like rice.