بوا

Root entry · 7 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns a calfskin or imitation used to comfort a mother camel whose offspring has died. It also extends to the young camel itself, and metaphorically to foolishness or a desolate place.

Derived headwords

البوnoun

1.
calfskin effigyclassical
A skin, often stuffed with straw or grass, used to comfort a mother camel whose calf has died, so that she may lactate.
2.
young camelboth
A young camel, specifically a calf.

بوnoun

1.
young camelboth
A young camel, a calf.

فما أم بو هالك بتنوفة — And not the mother of a perishing calf in the desert

البويnoun

1.
foolish manclassical
A man who is foolish or stupid.

بوnoun

1.
ashes of hearthstonesclassical
The ashes found around hearthstones, used metaphorically.

بوىname

1.
Bawa (place name)classical
A place name, possibly derived from a verb form.

الأبواءname

1.
Al-Abwa' (place name)classical
A specific place name, noted for its singular form resembling a plural.

البوباةnoun

1.
desertclassical
A desolate place or desert, similar to 'mawāt'.
2.
specific placeclassical
A particular named location.

Parallel reading

الحوار، وقيل: جلده يحشى تبنا أو ثماما أو حشيشا لتعطف عليه الناقة إذا مات ولدها، ثم يقرب إلى أم الفصيل لترأمه فتدر عليه.

The calfskin effigy, or it is said: its skin is stuffed with straw, or 'thamam', or grass, so that the she-camel may feel affection for it if her offspring dies, then it is brought near to the mother of the young camel so she may pity it and lactate.

فما أم بو هالك بتنوفة،

And not the mother of a perishing calf in the desert,

مدرجة كالبو بين الظئرين

A resting place like a calf between two wet nurses

سوق الروائم بوا بين أظآر

The market of Al-Rawā'im, a calf between enclosures

والرماد بو الأثافي، على التمثيل.

And the ashes are the 'bu' of the hearthstones, by way of metaphor.

أحسبه غير ممدود، يجوز أن يكون فعلا كبقم، ويجوز أن يكون فعلى، فإذا كان كذلك جاز أن يكون من باب تقوى، أعني أن الواو قلبت فيها عن الياء، ويجوز أن يكون من باب قوة.

I think it is not lengthened; it may be on the pattern 'fa'al' like 'baqam', and it may be on the pattern 'fa'la'. If so, it may be from the pattern 'taqwā', meaning the 'wāw' was inverted from a 'yā', and it may be from the pattern 'quwwah'.

والأبواء: موضع ليس في الكلام اسم مفرد عل مثال الجمع غيره وغير ما تقدم من الأنبار والأبلاء، وإن جاء فإنما يجيء في اسم المواضع لأن شواذها كثيرة، وما سوى هذه فإنما يأتي جمعا أو صفة كقولهم قدر أعشار وثوب أخلاق وأسمال وسراويل أسماط ونحو ذلك.

And Al-Abwā': a place name, and there is no singular word in speech resembling a plural except it and what preceded it from Al-Anbār and Al-Ablā'. If it occurs, it only occurs in place names because their irregularities are many, and other than these, it only comes as a plural or an adjective, like their saying 'a measure of 'ashār', and a garment of 'akhlāq', and 'asmāl', and trousers of 'asmāṭ', and the like.

والبوباة المفازة مثل الموماة؛

And Al-Būbāh is a desert like Al-Mūmāh;

أصله موموة على فعللة.

Its origin is 'mūmūwah' on the pattern 'fu'lalah'.

والبوباة: موضع بعينه.

And Al-Būbāh: a specific place.