نبا

Root entry · 24 derived lemmas

The root نبا primarily denotes concepts of aversion, repulsion, and distance, whether physical or metaphorical. It extends to meanings of being unsuitable, ugly, or failing to achieve a purpose. It also encompasses notions of elevation, prominence, and leadership, particularly in the context of prophecy.

Derived headwords

نَبَا بَصَرُهُ عَنِ الشَّيْءِverb

1.
averted gazeboth
One's eyesight turned away from something, indicating aversion or disregard.

نبا بصره عن الشيء نبوا ونبيا — His eyesight averted from the thing, with aversion and turning away.

نَبَا عَنْهُ بَصَرُهُverb

1.
avoided lookingboth
One's eyesight turned away from them, as if despising them and not lifting one's head to them.

فنبت عيناه عنهم ووقعتا علي — and his eyes turned away from them and fell upon me.

نَبَا السَّيْفُ عَنِ الضَّرِيبَةِverb

1.
failed to cutboth
The sword failed to cut when striking, meaning its edge was dull or ineffective.

ونبا السيف عن الضريبة نبوا ونبوة — and the sword failed to cut the blow, with dullness and a single instance of failure.

نَبَتْ صُورَتُهُverb

1.
appearance was uglyclassical
His appearance was ugly, so the eye did not accept it.

ونبت صورته: قبحت فلم تقبلها العين — and his appearance was ugly: it was displeasing and the eye did not accept it.

نَبَا بِهِ مَنْزِلُهُverb

1.
place was unsuitableboth
His dwelling place did not suit him, and similarly his bed.

وإذا نبا بك منزل فتحول — and if a place is unsuitable for you, then move.

نَبَا بِهِ الْفِرَاشُverb

1.
bed was uncomfortableboth
His side did not lie comfortably on the bed, meaning he could not settle on it.

نبا جنبي عن الفراش: لم يطمئن عليه — My side was uncomfortable on the bed: I did not settle on it.

نَبَا عَنْهُverb

1.
repelledboth
Something repelled or moved away from me.

نبا الشيء عني ينبو أي تجافى وتباعد — The thing moved away from me, meaning it moved aside and became distant.

أَنْبَيْتُهُverb

1.
repelled itclassical
I repelled it, meaning I pushed it away from myself.

وأنبيته أنا أي دفعته عن نفسي — And I repelled it, meaning I pushed it away from myself.

يُنْبِي عَنْكَverb

1.
reveals youboth
It reveals you or speaks for you, indicating that truth exposes one's reality.

والصدق ينبي عنك لا الوعيد — and truth reveals you, not threats.

نَبَا السَّهْمُ عَنِ الْهَدَفِverb

1.
fell shortboth
The arrow fell short of the target.

نبا السهم عن الهدف نبوا: قصر — The arrow fell short of the target, meaning it was too short.

نَبَا عَنِ الشَّيْءِverb

1.
deviated fromboth
It deviated from the thing, or moved away from it.

نبا عن الشيء نبوا ونبوة: زايله — It deviated from the thing, meaning it moved away from it.

نَبَا بِأَحْنَاءِ الْقَتَبِverb

1.
sat looselyclassical
The saddle did not fit firmly on the camel's back.

عذافر ينبو بأحنا القتب — a strong camel whose saddle sat loosely on its frame.

نَابِيًاadjective

1.
fattenedclassical
Having become fat or gained weight from eating a large meal.

وَلَقَدْ نَبَوْتُ مِنْ أَكْلَةٍ أَكَلْتُهَا بِقَوْلٍ سَمِنْتُ مِنْهَا — and I have indeed become fat from a meal I ate, to the point of saying I gained weight from it.

نَبَا بِهِ فُلَانٌverb

1.
treated him coldlyclassical
Someone treated him with coldness or distance, meaning they were unfriendly.

ويقال: فلان لا ينبو في يديك إن سألته أي لا يمنعك — And it is said: So-and-so does not refuse you if you ask him, meaning he does not prevent you.

النَّابِيَةُadjective

1.
bow that doesn't fitclassical
A bow whose string does not fit properly, meaning it is loose or detached.

والنابية القوس التي نبت عن وترها أي تجافت — And the nabiyah is the bow whose string has moved away from it, meaning it has become loose.

النَّبْوَةُnoun

1.
estrangementboth
A state of estrangement, coldness, or distance in relations.
2.
residenceclassical
A place of dwelling or residence.
3.
elevationboth
A state of being high or elevated.

والنبوة: الجفوة — And nabwah: estrangement.

والنبوة: الإقامة — And nabwah: residence.

والنبوة: الارتفاع — And nabwah: elevation.

النَّبْوُnoun

1.
heightboth
Height and elevation.

النبو العلو والارتفاع، وقد نبا — Al-nabw is height and elevation, and it has been verbified.

النَّبَاوَةُnoun

1.
elevationboth
That which is elevated from the ground.
2.
sand duneboth
A mound or dune of sand.

والنبوة والنباوة والنبي: ما ارتفع من الأرض — And nabwah, nabawah, and nabiyy: that which is elevated from the earth.

والنباوة والنبي: الرمل — And nabawah and nabiyy: sand.

النَّبِيُّnoun

1.
elevated placeboth
An elevated place or mound on the ground.
2.
landmarkboth
A landmark or signpost on the earth used for guidance.
3.
Prophetboth
A prophet, one who is elevated in status and guides others, derived from the concept of elevation and guidance.

فوضعت على نبي أي على شيء مرتفع من الأرض — so it was placed on a nabiyy, meaning on something elevated from the earth.

النبي: العلم من أعلام الأرض التي يهتدى بها — The nabiyy: a landmark of the earth by which one is guided.

تَنَبَّىverb

1.
claimed prophethoodclassical
A liar claimed prophethood without actually being a prophet.

تنبى الكذاب إذا ادعى النبوة وليس بنبي — The liar pretends to be a prophet if he claims prophethood and is not a prophet.

نَبَاةٌname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name, possibly referring to a specific location.

عين إلى نباة، الأثأب — between a spring and Nabah, the thorny trees.

نَبِيٌّ (مكان)name

1.
place nameclassical
A specific place name in the Levant.

لما وردن نبيا، واستتب بنا — When they arrived at Nabiyy, and it became stable for us.

النَّبَوَانِname

1.
water source nameclassical
The name of a specific water source.

والنبوان قصب مثقب — and Al-Nabawan is perforated reeds (referring to water outlets).

النَّبَاوَةُ (الطائف)name

1.
place nameclassical
A well-known place in Ta'if.

خطب النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، يوما بالنباوة من الطائف — The Prophet, peace be upon him, gave a sermon one day at Al-Nabawah in Ta'if.

Parallel reading

لما نبا بي صاحبي نبيا ونبوة مرة واحدة.

When my companion turned away from me with aversion and a single instance of turning away.

قدمنا على عمر مع وفد فنبت عيناه عنهم ووقعتا علي ؛

We came to Umar with a delegation, and his eyes turned away from them and fell upon me;

يقال: نبا عنه بصره ينبو أي تجافى ولم ينظر إليه، كأنه حقرهم ولم يرفع بهم رأسا.

It is said: his eyesight averted from him, meaning he moved aside and did not look at him, as if he despised them and did not lift his head to them.

ونبا السيف عن الضريبة نبوا ونبوة، قال ابن سيده لا يراد بالنبوة المرة الواحدة: كل ولم يحك فيها.

And the sword failed to cut the blow, with dullness and a single instance of failure; Ibn Sidah said that nabwah here does not mean a single instance: it is complete and not specified.

ونبت صورته: قبحت فلم تقبلها العين.

And his appearance was ugly: it was displeasing and the eye did not accept it.

وإذا نبا بك منزل فتحول

And if a place is unsuitable for you, then move.

ونبا به منزله: لم يوافقه، وكذلك فراشه؛

And his dwelling place did not suit him, and similarly his bed;

قال: وإذا نبا بك منزل فتحول

He said: And if a place is unsuitable for you, then move.

ونبا به منزله: لم يوافقه، وكذلك فراشه؛ قال: وإذا نبا بك منزل فتحول ونبت بي تلك الأرض أي لم أجد بها قرارا.

And his dwelling place did not suit him, and similarly his bed; he said: And if a place is unsuitable for you, then move, and that land was unsuitable for me, meaning I did not find stability there.

ونبا فلان عن فلان: لم ينقد له.

And so-and-so turned away from so-and-so: he did not submit to him.

قال لعمر أنت ولي ما وليت لا ننبو في يديك أي ننقاد لك ولا نمتنع عما تريد منا.

He said to Umar: You are responsible for what you have undertaken; we will not resist you, meaning we will submit to you and not refuse what you want from us.

نبا جنبي عن الفراش: لم يطمئن عليه.

My side was uncomfortable on the bed: I did not settle on it.

نبا الشيء عني ينبو أي تجافى وتباعد.

The thing moved away from me, meaning it moved aside and became distant.

وفي المثل: الصدق ينبي عنك لا الوعيد أي أن الصدق يدفع عنك الغائلة في الحرب دون التهديد.

And in the proverb: Truth reveals you, not threats, meaning that truth repels the harm from you in war, not intimidation.

قال أبو عبيد: هو ينبي، بغير همز؛ قال ساعدة بن جؤية: صب اللهيف لها السبوب بطغية ... تنبي العقاب، كما يلط المجنب

Abu Ubaid said: it is yanbi, without hamza; Sa'idah bin Ju'ayyah said: He poured the dew for them with a torrent... that reveals the eagle, as the flank is rubbed.

نبا السهم عن الهدف نبوا: قصر.

The arrow fell short of the target, meaning it was too short.

وإذا لم يستمكن السرج أو الرحل من الظهر قيل نبا؛ وأنشد:

And if the saddle or pack did not fit firmly on the back, it was said to be naba; and he recited:

عذافر ينبو بأحنا القتب

a strong camel whose saddle sat loosely on its frame

وَلَقَدْ نَبَوْتُ مِنْ أَكْلَةٍ أَكَلْتُهَا بِقَوْلٍ سَمِنْتُ مِنْهَا، وَأَكَلَ أُكْلَةً ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ظَهَرَةٌ أَيْ سَمِنَ مِنْهَا.

and I have indeed become fat from a meal I ate, to the point of saying I gained weight from it, and he ate a meal from which he gained weight, meaning he became fat from it.

ويقال: فلان لا ينبو في يديك إن سألته أي لا يمنعك.

And it is said: So-and-so does not refuse you if you ask him, meaning he does not prevent you.

والنابية القوس التي نبت عن وترها أي تجافت.

And the nabiyah is the bow whose string has moved away from it, meaning it has become loose.

والنبوة: الجفوة.

And nabwah: estrangement.

والنبوة: الإقامة.

And nabwah: residence.

والنبوة: الارتفاع.

And nabwah: elevation.

النبو العلو والارتفاع، وقد نبا.

Al-nabw is height and elevation, and it has been verbified.

وفي الحديث: فأتي بثلاثة قرصة فوضعت على نبي أي على شيء مرتفع من الأرض، من النباوة والنبوة الشرف المرتفع من الأرض؛

And in the hadith: three flatbreads were brought and placed on a nabiyy, meaning on something elevated from the earth, from nabawah and nabwah, the elevated honor from the earth;

ومننه الحديث: لا تصلوا على النبي أي على الأرض المرتفعة المحدودبة.

And from it the hadith: Do not pray on the nabiyy, meaning on the elevated, humped ground.

النبي: العلم من أعلام الأرض التي يهتدى بها.

The nabiyy: a landmark of the earth by which one is guided.

قال بعضهم: ومنه اشتقاق النبي لأنه أرفع خلق الله، وذلك لأنه يهتدى به، وقد تقدم ذكر النبي في الهمز، وهم أهل بيت النبوة.

Some of them said: And from it is the derivation of nabiyy because he is the most elevated of God's creation, and that is because he is guided by, and the mention of nabiyy with hamza has preceded, and they are the people of the house of prophecy.

فترك همزه، قال: وإن أخذت النبي من النبوة والنباوة، وهي الارتفاع من الأرض، لارتفاع قدره ولأنه شرف على سائر الخلق، فأصله غير الهمز، وهو فعيل بمعنى مفعول، وتصغيره نبي، والجمع أنبياء؛

so its hamza was omitted. He said: And if you take nabiyy from nabuwah and nabawah, which is elevation from the earth, it is due to his high status and because he is honored above all creation, so its origin is without hamza, and it is fa'eel meaning maf'ool, and its diminutive is nabiyy, and its plural is anbiya';

قال: النبي المكان المرتفع، والكاثب: الرمل المجتمع، وقيل: النبي ما نبا من الحجارة إذا نجلتها الحوافر، ويقال: الكاثب جبل وحوله رواب يقال لها النبي، الواحد ناب مثل غاز وغزي، يقول: لو قام فضالة على الصاقب، وهو جبل، لذلله وتسهل له حتى يصير كالرمل الذي في الكاثب؛

He said: Al-nabiyy is the elevated place, and Al-kathib: is the accumulated sand. It is said: Al-nabiyy is what protrudes from the stones when the hooves churn them. And it is said: Al-kathib is a mountain and around it are hills called Al-nabiyy, singular nab like ghazi and ghazi. He says: If Fadalah stood on Al-saqib, which is a mountain, he would subdue it and make it easy for him until it becomes like the sand in Al-kathib;

وقال ابن بري: الصحيح في النبي هاهنا أنه اسم رمل معروف، وقيل: الكاثب اسم قنة في الصاقب، وقيل: يقوم بمعنى يقاوم.

And Ibn Al-Bari said: The correct interpretation of Al-nabiyy here is that it is the name of a known sand dune. It is said: Al-kathib is the name of a peak on Al-saqib. It is said: yaqumu means resists.

ما كان بالبصرة رجل أعلم من حميد بن هلال غير أن النباوة أضرت به أي طلب الشرف والرياسة وحرمة التقدم في العلم أضر به، ويروى بالتاء والنون.

There was no man in Basra more knowledgeable than Humayd bin Hilal, except that the pursuit of status harmed him, meaning the seeking of honor, leadership, and the privilege of precedence in knowledge harmed him, and it is narrated with ta' and nun.

وقال الكسائي: النبي الطريق، والأنبياء طرق الهدى.

And Al-Kisa'i said: Al-nabiyy is the road, and Al-anbiya' are the paths of guidance.

سمعت أعرابيا يقول من يدلني على النبي أي على الطريق.

I heard an Arab say: Who can guide me to Al-nabiyy, meaning to the road.

والأجود ترك الهمز لأن الاستعمال يوجب أن ما كان مهموزا من فعيل فجمعه فعلاء مثل ظريف وظرفاء، فإذا كان من ذوات الياء فجمعه أفعلاء نحو غني وأغنياء ونبي وأنبياء، بغير همز، فإذا همزت قلت نبيء ونبآء كما تقول في الصحيح، قال: وقد جاء أفعلاء في الصحيح، وهو قليل، قالوا خميس وأخمساء ونصيب وأنصباء، فيجوز أن يكون نبي من أنبأت مما ترك همزه لكثرة الاستعمال، ويجوز أن يكون من نبا ينبو إذا ارتفع، فيكون فعيلا من الرفعة.

And it is better to omit the hamza because usage dictates that what is hamzated from fa'eel has a plural of fa'alaa' like zarif and zurafaa'. If it is from those with ya', its plural is af'alaa' like ghani and aghniyaa', and nabiyy and anbiyaa', without hamza. If you hamzate it, you say nabee' and nabbaa' as you say for a sound word. He said: And af'alaa' has come in sound words, and it is rare. They said khamis and akhmasaa', and naseeb and ansibaa'. So it is possible that nabiyy is from anba'ta, from which the hamza was omitted due to frequent use, and it is possible that it is from naba yanbu if it is elevated, so it would be fa'eel from elevation.

تنبى الكذاب إذا ادعى النبوة وليس بنبي، كما تنبى مسيلمة الكذاب وغيره من الدجالين المتنبين.

The liar pretends to be a prophet if he claims prophethood and is not a prophet, just as Musaylimah the Liar and other false prophets pretended.

والنباوة والنبي: الرمل.

And nabawah and nabiyy: sand.

فالسدر مختلج وغودر طافيا، ... ما بين عين إلى نباة، الأثأب

So the lote trees are scattered and left floating, ... between a spring and Nabah, the thorny trees.

لما وردن نبيا، واستتب بنا ... مسحنفر، كخطوط النسج، منسحل

When they arrived at Nabiyy, and it became stable for us ... a vast plain, like woven lines, stretching out.

شرج رواء لكما وزنقب، ... والنبوان قصب مثقب

A beautiful, wide stream, and a well, ... and Al-Nabawan are perforated reeds (referring to water outlets).

وفي الحديث: خطب النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، يوما بالنباوة من الطائف ، والله أعلم.

And in the hadith: The Prophet, peace be upon him, gave a sermon one day at Al-Nabawah in Ta'if, and God knows best.