← Back to Lisan al-Arab

لحف

Root entry · 13 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns covering, enveloping, and clothing, often with a sense of warmth or protection. It extends to concepts of generosity, persistence in asking, and even the dimming of the moon or a decrease in wealth.

Derived headwords

لِحَافnoun
  1. 1.
    Covering, blanketboth

    A garment worn over other clothes for warmth or protection, like a blanket or quilt. It is anything used for covering oneself.

  2. 2.
    What one covers oneself withboth

    The specific item used for covering oneself, a blanket or similar covering.

الْتَحَفَverb
  1. 1.
    To cover oneselfboth

    To wrap oneself in a covering, blanket, or garment.

والتحفت؛ وأنشد لطرفة: يلحفون الأرض هداب الأزر أي يجرونها على الأرض — And I covered myself; and he recited for Tarafah: They cover the earth with the hem of their garments, meaning they drag them on the ground.
لَحِفَverb
  1. 1.
    To coverboth

    To cover someone, to provide them with a covering or blanket.

  2. 2.
    To drag one's garmentclassical

    To drag one's garment on the ground, often out of pride or arrogance.

  3. 3.
    To decrease, diminishclassical

    To decrease or diminish, as in wealth or the light of the moon.

ولحف في ماله لحفة «1» إذا ذهب منه شيء — And he 'lahafa' in his wealth, meaning something went from it.
أَلْحَفَverb
  1. 1.
    To provide with a coveringboth

    To give someone a covering or blanket.

  2. 2.
    To buy a coveringclassical

    To purchase a covering or blanket for someone.

  3. 3.
    To be persistent in askingboth

    To insist strongly or persistently in asking for something, to beg.

  4. 4.
    To give preferenceclassical

    To give preference to a guest, offering them one's own bedding and covering.

وألحف الرجل ولحف إذا جر إزاره على الأرض خيلاء وبطرا — And the man 'alhaf' and 'lahafa' if he dragged his garment on the ground out of pride and arrogance.
وألحف الرجل ضيفه إذا آثره بفراشه ولحافه في الحليت — And the man 'alhafa' his guest if he preferred him with his bed and covering in the lasting snow and cold wind.
مِلْحَفnoun
  1. 1.
    Covering, blanketboth

    A garment worn over other clothes for warmth or protection, similar to a 'lihaf'.

  2. 2.
    A plain garmentclassical

    A plain garment, not lined or padded, as distinguished from a padded one by some Arabs.

مِلْحَفَةnoun
  1. 1.
    Covering, blanketboth

    A garment worn over other clothes for warmth or protection, similar to a 'lihaf'.

  2. 2.
    A plain garmentclassical

    A plain garment, not lined or padded, as distinguished from a padded one by some Arabs.

تَلَحَّفَverb
  1. 1.
    To cover oneselfboth

    To wrap oneself in a covering, blanket, or garment.

  2. 2.
    To acquire a coveringclassical

    To obtain or acquire a covering for oneself.

وتلحفت لحافا إذا اتخذته لنفسك — And I 'talahhafta' a covering if you took it for yourself.
وتلحف بالملحفة واللحاف والتحف ولحف بهما: تغطى بهما — And he 'talahhafa' with the 'milhafah' and the 'lihaf', and 'iltaḥafa', and 'laḥafa' with them: he covered himself with them.
لَحْفَةnoun
  1. 1.
    State of being coveredclassical

    The condition or state of being covered or wrapped up.

  2. 2.
    A decreaseclassical

    A portion or amount that has gone from something, a decrease.

وإنها لحسنة اللحفة من الالتحاف — And indeed she is good in her 'lahfah' from covering herself.
ولحف في ماله لحفة «1» إذا ذهب منه شيء — And he 'lahafa' in his wealth, meaning something went from it.
مَلَاحَفَةnoun
  1. 1.
    Mutual coveringclassical

    The act of covering each other, or being covered together.

ولاحفت الرجل ملاحفة: كانفته — And I 'laḥafta' the man 'mulāḥafah': I covered him.
إِلْحَاحnoun
  1. 1.
    Persistence in askingboth

    Intense and persistent begging or insistence in making a request.

والإلحاف: شدة الإلحاح في المسألة — And 'ilḥāf': the intensity of insistence in asking.
لَحِيفname
  1. 1.
    Name of a horseclassical

    The name of a horse belonging to the Prophet Muhammad, possibly named for its long tail that trailed on the ground.

لَحُفَverb
  1. 1.
    To drag one's garmentclassical

    To drag one's garment on the ground out of pride or arrogance.

وألحف الرجل ولحف إذا جر إزاره على الأرض خيلاء وبطرا — And the man 'alhaf' and 'lahafa' if he dragged his garment on the ground out of pride and arrogance.
لَحِفَverb
  1. 1.
    To dim, waneclassical

    Said of the moon when it passes the middle of the month and its light decreases.

ولحف القمر إذا جاوز النصف فنقص ضوءه عما كان عليه — And the moon 'laḥafa' when it passed the middle and its light decreased from what it was.

Parallel reading

اللحاف والملحف والملحفة: اللباس الذي فوق سائر اللباس من دثار البرد ونحوه؛ وكل شيء تغطيت به فقد التحفت به.
The 'lihaf', 'milhaf', and 'milhafah': the garment worn over all other clothes for protection from cold and the like; and anything you cover yourself with, you have 'iltaḥafta' with it.
واللحاف: اسم ما يلتحف به.
And the 'lihaf': the name for what one covers oneself with.
كان النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، لا يصلي في شعرنا ولا في لحفنا
The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not pray in our hair nor in our blankets.
قال أبو عبيد: اللحاف كل ما تغطيت به.
Abu Ubaid said: The 'lihaf' is everything you cover yourself with.
ولحفت الرجل ألحفه إذا فعلت به ذلك يعني إذا غطيته
And I 'laḥaftu' the man, I 'alḥifuhu', if I did that to him, meaning if I covered him.
ثم راحوا عبق المسك بهم، ... يلحفون الأرض هداب الأزر أي يغطونها ويلبسونها هداب أزرهم إذا جروها في الأرض.
Then they departed, musk perfuming them, ... they 'yalḥifūna' the earth with the hem of their garments, meaning they cover it and clothe it with the hem of their garments when they drag them on the ground.
ويقال لذلك الثوب لحاف وملحف بمعنى واحد كما يقال إزار ومئزر وقرام ومقرم
And that garment is called 'lihaf' and 'milhaf' with one meaning, just as 'izar' and 'mi'zar', and 'qaram' and 'maqram' are said.
ولحفه لحافا: ألبسه إياه.
And I 'laḥaftuhu' him a 'lihaf': I clothed him with it.
وألحفه إياه: جعله له لحافا.
And I 'alḥaftuhu' it to him: I made it a 'lihaf' for him.
وألحفه: اشترى له لحافا
And I 'alḥaftuhu': I bought him a 'lihaf'.
وتلحفت لحافا إذا اتخذته لنفسك
And I 'talaḥḥaftu' a 'lihaf' if you took it for yourself.
وألحف الرجل ولحف إذا جر إزاره على الأرض خيلاء وبطرا
And the man 'alḥafa' and 'laḥafa' if he dragged his garment on the ground out of pride and arrogance.
والملحفة عند العرب هي الملاءة السمط، فإذا بطنت ببطانة أو حشيت فهي عند العوام ملحفة، قال: والعرب لا تعرف ذلك.
And the 'milḥafah' among the Arabs is the plain garment ('mala'ah'); but if it is lined or padded, it is called a 'milḥafah' by the common people, he said: and the Arabs do not know that.
وتلحف بالملحفة واللحاف والتحف ولحف بهما: تغطى بهما
And he 'talaḥḥafa' with the 'milḥafah' and the 'lihaf', and 'iltaḥafa', and 'laḥafa' with them: he covered himself with them.
يقال فلان حسن اللحفة وهي الحالة التي تتلحف بها.
It is said, 'So-and-so is good in his 'lahfah', which is the state in which he covers himself.'
كم قد نزلت بكم ضيفا فتلحفني ... فضل اللحاف، ونعم الفضل يلتحف
How often have I come to you as a guest, and you covered me ... with the surplus of the blanket, and what a good surplus to be covered with.
وقد لحفه فضل لحافه إذا أناله معروفه وفضله وزوده.
And he 'laḥafahu' him with the surplus of his 'lihaf' if he bestowed upon him his favor, his bounty, and his provisions.
وألحف الرجل ضيفه إذا آثره بفراشه ولحافه في الحليت، وهو الثلج الدائم والأريز البارد.
And the man 'alḥafa' his guest if he preferred him with his bed and covering in the lasting snow and cold wind.
ولاحفت الرجل ملاحفة: كانفته.
And I 'laḥaftu' the man 'mulāḥafah': I covered him.
والإلحاف: شدة الإلحاح في المسألة.
And 'ilḥāf': the intensity of insistence in asking.
لا يسئلون الناس إلحافا
They do not ask people persistently.
وقد ألحف عليه؛ ويقال: وليس للملحف مثل الرد
And he insisted upon him; and it is said: And there is no response like rejection for the persistent asker.
الحر يلحى، والعصا للعبد، ... وليس للملحف مثل الرد
The free man is admonished, and the stick is for the slave, ... and there is no response like rejection for the persistent asker.
كان يلحف شاربه أي يبالغ في قصه.
He used to 'yalḥafu' his mustache, meaning he was excessive in trimming it.
من سأل وله أربعون درهما فقد ألحف
Whoever asks and has forty dirhams has been persistent.
ومعنى ألحف أي شمل بالمسألة وهو مستغن عنها.
And the meaning of 'alḥafa' is to encompass with the question while he is self-sufficient.
واللحاف من هذا اشتقاقه لأنه يشمل الإنسان في التغطية
And the 'lihaf' is derived from this because it encompasses a person in covering.
ولحف في ماله لحفة «1» إذا ذهب منه شيء
And he 'laḥafa' in his wealth, meaning something went from it.
هو أفلس من ضارب قحف استه ومن ضارب لحف استه، قال: وهو شق الاست، وإنما قيل ذلك لأنه لا يجد شيئا يلبسه فتقع يده على شعب استه.
He is poorer than one who strikes the hollow of his buttocks and one who strikes the cleft of his buttocks, meaning the opening of the anus, and it is so said because he finds nothing to wear, so his hand falls upon the cleft of his buttocks.
ولحف القمر إذا جاوز النصف فنقص ضوءه عما كان عليه.
And the moon 'laḥafa' when it passed the middle and its light decreased from what it was.
كان اسم فرسه، صلى الله عليه وسلم، اللحيف لطول ذنبه ، فعيل بمعنى فاعل، كأنه يلحف الأرض بذنبه أي يغطيها به.
The name of his horse, peace be upon him, was Al-Luḥayf due to the length of its tail, 'fa'īl' in the meaning of 'fā'il', as if it 'yalḥifu' the earth with its tail, meaning it covers it with it.