عيف

Root entry · 23 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns the semantic field of aversion, dislike, and rejection, particularly related to food and drink. It extends to concepts of hesitation, circling around something without committing, and by extension, to divination and foretelling based on observation and instinct.

Derived headwords

عَافَ يَعَافُverb

1.
to dislike, to hateboth
To dislike something intensely, to the point of rejection, especially food or drink.
2.
to shun, to avoidboth
To avoid something, to turn away from it.
3.
to hesitate, to lingerboth
To hover or linger around something, often water or prey, without immediate action.
4.
to divine, to foretellclassical
To practice divination, especially by observing birds or other signs.

عاف الشيء يعافه عيفا وعيافة وعيافا وعيفانا: كرهه فلم يشربه طعاما أو شرابا — He disliked the thing, he hated it, refusing to drink it as food or drink.

عَيِفٌadjective

1.
disliking, hatingboth
One who dislikes or hates something, particularly food.
2.
divinerclassical
A diviner, one who practices divination.

فهو عائف — He is one who dislikes (food).

عَيُوفٌadjective

1.
disliking, averseboth
One who is averse to something, particularly food or drink.
2.
hesitant (camel)classical
Describing a camel that smells water but leaves it while thirsty.

ورجل عيوف وعيفان: عائف — And a man who is averse and hesitant: one who dislikes.

عَيْفَانٌadjective

1.
disliking, averseboth
One who is averse to something, particularly food or drink.

ورجل عيوف وعيفان: عائف — And a man who is averse and hesitant: one who dislikes.

عِيَافَةٌnoun

1.
dislike, aversionboth
The act of disliking or hating something, especially food or drink.
2.
divinationclassical
The practice of divination, especially by observing birds, their flight, calls, or names.
3.
hesitationclassical
The act of hesitating or lingering.

قال ابن سيده: وقيل العياف المصدر والعيافة الاسم — Ibn Sidah said: It is said that al-'iyāf is the verbal noun and al-'iyāfah is the noun.

عَيَافٌnoun

1.
dislike, aversionboth
The act of disliking or hating something, especially food or drink.
2.
divinationclassical
The practice of divination, especially by observing birds.

قال ابن سيده: وقيل العياف المصدر والعيافة الاسم — Ibn Sidah said: It is said that al-'iyāf is the verbal noun and al-'iyāfah is the noun.

عَيْفَانٌnoun

1.
dislike, aversionboth
The act of disliking or hating something, especially food or drink.

اسْتَعَارَهُverb

1.
to borrow metaphoricallyclassical
To use a word or concept metaphorically, to apply it to a different context.

واستعاره النجاشي للكلاب فقال يهجو ابن مقبل — And Al-Najashi used it metaphorically for dogs, when he satirized Ibn Muqbil.

عَائِفٌadjective

1.
disliking, averseboth
One who dislikes or is averse to something, often with a sense of disgust.
2.
divinerclassical
One who practices divination.
3.
hesitating, lingeringclassical
One who hesitates or lingers, especially around water or prey.

والعائف: الكاره للشيء المتقذر له — And al-'ā'if: one who dislikes a thing and finds it repulsive.

إِعَافَةٌnoun

1.
collective aversionclassical
The state of a group's camels being averse to water and not drinking it.

وأعاف القوم إعافة: عافت إبلهم الماء فلم تشربه — And the people experienced 'i'āfah: their camels were averse to the water and did not drink it.

عَائِفٌ عَلَىadjective

1.
hovering overboth
Lingering or hovering over something, such as water or a carcass, with intent.

إن هذا الطائر لعائف على ماء — This bird is indeed hovering over water.

عَائِفَةٌnoun

1.
hovering birdclassical
A bird that hovers or lingers, especially over water or carcasses, intending to land.

فهي عائفة، والاسم العيفة — So it is a hovering bird, and the noun is 'ayfah.

عِيفَةٌnoun

1.
hovering, lingeringclassical
The act of hovering or lingering, especially by birds over water or prey.
2.
remnant milkclassical
A small amount of milk remaining in a udder after milking, or milk that is difficult to extract.

فهي عائفة، والاسم العيفة — So it is a hovering bird, and the noun is 'ayfah.

لا تحرم «1» العيفة، قلنا: وما العيفة؟ قال: المرأة تلد فيحصر لبنها في ثديها فترضعه جارتها المرة والمرتين — Do not forbid 'al-'ayfah. We asked: And what is 'al-'ayfah? He said: A woman gives birth and her milk is blocked in her breasts, so her neighbor nurses her once or twice.

عَوائِفٌadjective

1.
hovering, lingeringclassical
Describing birds that hover or linger, especially over carcasses.

في نسور عوائف — Among hovering vultures.

عَائِفٌ (الكاهن)adjective

1.
diviner, soothsayerclassical
A diviner or soothsayer, one who predicts the future, often by observing signs.

والعائف: المتكهن — And al-'ā'if: the diviner.

عَافَ الطَّائِرُverb

1.
to circle, to hoverboth
For a bird to circle or hover in the sky or around a specific location.

وعاف الطائر عيفانا حام في السماء — And the bird circled ('ayafāna) in the sky.

عَافَ الطَّائِرُ (حول الماء)verb

1.
to hover over waterboth
For a bird to hover or circle around water.

وعاف عيفا حام حول الماء وغيره — And he hovered ('āfa 'ayfan) around water and elsewhere.

عَافَ الطَّائِرُ (زجره)verb

1.
to practice divinationclassical
To practice divination by observing birds, their flight, or sounds.

وعاف الطائر وغيره من السوانح يعيفه عيافة: زجره — And the bird and other auspicious signs were observed ('āfa 'ayfatan): to be interpreted.

عَائِفٌ (الزاجر)adjective

1.
one who interprets omensclassical
One who interprets omens, especially from birds.

والعائف: الذي يعيف الطير فيزجرها وهي العيافة — And al-'ā'if: he who observes birds and interprets them, and this is 'al-'iyāfah.

عَيَّافٌnoun

1.
game (children's)classical
A children's game, mentioned alongside 'al-ṭarīdah'.

وعياف والطريدة لعبتان لصبيان الأعراب — And 'iyāf and al-ṭarīdah are two games for Bedouin children.

عِيفَةٌ (رضاع)noun

1.
nursing a blocked milkclassical
The act of nursing a baby when the mother's milk is blocked or difficult to extract, to help open the ducts.

أَبُو العُيُوفname

1.
a man's nameclassical
A proper name, referring to a specific man.

وأبو العيوف: رجل — And Abu al-'Uyūf: a man.

ابْنُ العِيفِname

1.
a poet's nameclassical
A name referring to a poet from the Banu al-'Abdi tribe.

وابن العيف العبدي: من شعرائهم — And Ibn al-'Ayf al-'Abdi: among their poets.

Parallel reading

عاف الشيء يعافه عيفا وعيافة وعيافا وعيفانا: كرهه فلم يشربه طعاما أو شرابا.

He disliked the thing, he hated it, refusing to drink it as food or drink.

قال ابن سيده: قد غلب على كراهية الطعام، فهو عائف؛

Ibn Sidah said: It has become predominantly used for disliking food, so he is 'ā'if;

وذلك أن البقر إذا امتنعت من شروعها في الماء لا تضرب لأنها ذات لبن، وإنما يضرب الثور لتفزع هي فتشرب.

This is because when cows refuse to start drinking water, they are not beaten because they have milk; the bull is beaten so that they become frightened and drink.

قال ابن سيده: وقيل العياف المصدر والعيافة الاسم؛

Ibn Sidah said: It is said that al-'iyāf is the verbal noun and al-'iyāfah is the noun;

كالثور يضرب أن تعاف نعاجه، ... وجب العياف، ضربت أو لم تضرب

Like the bull that is beaten so that his ewes might drink, ... and the 'iyāf is obligatory, whether you beat it or not.

ورجل عيوف وعيفان: عائف،

And a man who is averse and hesitant: one who dislikes,

واستعاره النجاشي للكلاب فقال يهجو ابن مقبل:

And Al-Najashi used it metaphorically for dogs, when he satirized Ibn Muqbil:

تعاف الكلاب الضاريات لحومهم، ... وتأكل من كعب بن عوف ونهشل

The fierce dogs shun their flesh, ... and eat from Ka'b bin 'Awf and Nahshal.

فإنه يعني بالنيران سيوفا أي فإنا نضربكم بسيوفنا، فاكتفى بذكر السيوف عن ذكر الضرب بها.

For he means by 'fires' swords, meaning 'we will strike you with our swords', so he sufficed by mentioning swords instead of mentioning striking with them.

والعائف: الكاره للشيء المتقذر له؛

And al-'ā'if: one who dislikes a thing and finds it repulsive;

أنه أتي بضب مشوي فلم يأكله، وقال: إني لأعافه لأنه ليس من طعام قومي أي أكرهه.

That he was brought roasted lizard and did not eat it, and said: I dislike it because it is not the food of my people, meaning I hate it.

وعاف الماء: تركه وهو عطشان.

And he shunned the water: he left it while he was thirsty.

والعيوف من الإبل: الذي يشم الماء، وقيل الذي يشمه وهو صاف فيدعه وهو عطشان.

And al-'uyūf from camels: is one that smells water, and it is said one that smells it when it is clear and leaves it while thirsty.

وأعاف القوم إعافة: عافت إبلهم الماء فلم تشربه.

And the people experienced 'i'āfah: their camels were averse to the water and did not drink it.

فقالوا: إن هذا الطائر لعائف على ماء ؛

So they said: This bird is indeed hovering over water;

قال أبو عبيدة: العائف هنا هو الذي يتردد على الماء ويحوم ولا يمضي.

Abu 'Ubaydah said: Al-'ā'if here is one who frequents water and hovers and does not move on.

ورأوا طيرا عائفا على الماء أي حائما ليجد فرصة فيشرب.

And they saw a bird hovering over the water, meaning circling to find an opportunity to drink.

وعافت الطير إذا كانت تحوم على الماء وعلى الجيف تعيف عيفا وتتردد ولا تمضي تريد الوقوع، فهي عائفة، والاسم العيفة.

And the birds hovered when they were circling over water and carcasses, hovering ('ta'īfu 'ayfan) and lingering and not moving on, wanting to land, so it is a hovering bird, and the noun is 'ayfah.

ويصبح لي من بطن نسر مقيله ... دوين السماء في نسور عوائف

And for me from the belly of a vulture will be its resting place ... below the sky among hovering vultures.

والعائف: المتكهن.

And al-'ā'if: the diviner.

أن شريحا كان عائفا ؛ أراد أنه كان صادق الحدس والظن كما يقال للذي يصيب بظنه: ما هو إلا كاهن، وللبليغ في قوله: ما هو إلا ساحر، لا أنه كان يفعل فعل الجاهلية في العيافة.

That Shuraih was a diviner; he meant that he was accurate in his intuition and conjecture, just as it is said of one who is correct in his guess: he is nothing but a soothsayer, and of an eloquent person in his speech: he is nothing but a magician, not that he used to practice the customs of ignorance in divination.

وعاف الطائر وغيره من السوانح يعيفه عيافة: زجره، وهو أن يعتبر بأسمائها ومساقطها وأصواتها؛

And the bird and other auspicious signs were observed ('āfa 'ayfatan): to be interpreted, which is to take consideration of their names, their landing places, and their sounds;

والعيافة والطرق من الجبت ؛

And 'al-'iyāfah and 'al-ṭarq' are from the devil's work;

العيافة: زجر الطير والتفاؤل بأسمائها وأصواتها وممرها، وهو من عادة العرب كثيرا وهو كثير في أشعارهم.

'Al-'iyāfah: is the interpretation of birds' omens and taking good or bad omens from their names, sounds, and paths, and it was a common custom among the Arabs, and it is abundant in their poetry.

يقال: عاف يعيف عيفا إذا زجر وحدس وظن،

It is said: 'āfa ya'īfu 'ayfan when one interprets omens, conjectures, and suspects,

فقالوا: ضلت لنا ناقة فلو أرسلتم معنا من يعيف،

So they said: We lost a she-camel, so if you would send someone with us who can interpret omens,

فقالوا: ما لك؟ فقال: كسرت جناحا، ورفعت جناحا، وحلفت بالله صراحا: ما أنت بإنسي ولا تبغي لقاحا.

So they said: What is wrong with you? He said: One wing is broken, one wing is raised, and I swear by God explicitly: you are neither human nor seeking mating.

أن عبد الله بن عبد المطلب أبا النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، مر بامرأة تنظر وتعتاف فدعته إلى أن يستبضع منها فأبى.

That Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib, the father of the Prophet, peace be upon him, passed by a woman who was observing and divining, and she invited him to have intercourse with her, but he refused.

وعياف والطريدة لعبتان لصبيان الأعراب؛

And 'iyāf and al-ṭarīdah are two games for Bedouin children;

قضت من عياف والطريدة حاجة، ... فهن إلى لهو الحديث خضوع

They have fulfilled their need for 'iyāf and al-ṭarīdah, ... so they are submissive to idle talk.

لا تحرم «1» العيفة، قلنا: وما العيفة؟ قال: المرأة تلد فيحصر لبنها في ثديها فترضعه جارتها المرة والمرتين ؛

Do not forbid 'al-'ayfah. We asked: And what is 'al-'ayfah? He said: A woman gives birth and her milk is blocked in her breasts, so her neighbor nurses her once or twice;

قال أبو عبيد: لا نعرف العيفة في الرضاع ولكن نراها العفة، وهي بقية اللبن في الضرع بعد ما يمتك أكثر ما فيه؛

Abu 'Ubayd said: We do not know 'al-'ayfah in nursing, but we consider it 'al-'iffah, which is the remainder of the milk in the udder after most of it has been sucked.

والذي هو أصح عندي أنه العيفة لا العفة، ومعناه أن جارتها ترضعها المرة والمرتين ليتفتح ما انسد من مخارج اللبن، سمي عيفة لأنها تعافه أي تقذره وتكرهه.

And what is more correct in my opinion is that it is 'al-'ayfah, not 'al-'iffah, and its meaning is that her neighbor nurses her once or twice so that the blocked milk ducts open; it is called 'ayfah because she finds it repulsive and hates it.

وأبو العيوف: رجل؛

And Abu al-'Uyūf: a man;

وكان أبو العيوف أخا وجارا، ... وذا رحم، فقلت له نقاضا

And Abu al-'Uyūf was a brother and a neighbor, ... and a relative, so I said to him, let us settle accounts.

وابن العيف العبدي: من شعرائهم.

And Ibn al-'Ayf al-'Abdi: among their poets.