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قرفص

Root entry · 15 derived lemmas

This root describes a specific posture of sitting or crouching, characterized by drawing the legs up towards the body and holding them close. It emphasizes a compact, folded-in position, often associated with specific groups or actions.

Derived headwords

القرفصةnoun
  1. 1.
    crouching postureboth

    The act of a person gathering themselves, drawing their legs and hands close to their body.

قرفصتverb
  1. 1.
    crouchedboth

    Past tense verb indicating the action of crouching or folding oneself up.

قد قرفصت روحه تلك المخاليب — those talons had crouched upon his soul
القرفصاءnoun
  1. 1.
    specific sitting postureclassical

    A particular manner of sitting, which can be elongated or shortened. It involves sitting on one's buttocks, bringing the thighs close to the abdomen, and holding the shins with one's hands as if using a garment for support.

  2. 2.
    Bedouin squatclassical

    A squatting posture described as sitting on the knees, leaning forward, pressing the abdomen to the thighs, and tucking the hands under the armpits; considered the posture of Bedouins.

القرفصاnoun
  1. 1.
    Bedouin squattingclassical

    A specific squatting posture, similar to the 'al-Qurfasaa', often associated with Bedouins.

قعدverb
  1. 1.
    a specific sitting, which is to sit on his buttocks and stick his thighs to his belly, and to hold himself with his hands, placing them on his shins as one holds oneself with a garment, his hands being in place of the garment, according to Abu Ubayd.both

    a specific sitting, which is to sit on his buttocks and stick his thighs to his belly, and to hold himself with his hands, placing them on his shins as one holds oneself with a garment, his hands being in place of the garment, according to Abu Ubayd.

  2. 2.
    he sat, sittingboth

    he sat, sitting

  3. 3.
    meaning he satboth

    meaning he sat

قعد فلان القرفصاء — So-and-so sat in the Qurfasaa posture
منكباadjective
  1. 1.
    leaning forwardclassical

    Describing a posture of leaning forward, often in conjunction with squatting.

كفيهnoun
  1. 1.
    his palmsboth

    The palms of one's hands.

يتأبطverb
  1. 1.
    tuck under armboth

    To tuck something, such as one's hands, under the arm.

الاعرابnoun
  1. 1.
    And al-aʿrāb among them: specifically the inhabitants of the desert.both

    And al-aʿrāb among them: specifically the inhabitants of the desert.

  2. 2.
    And al-aʿrāb is not a plural of ʿarab, but rather a generic noun.both

    And al-aʿrāb is not a plural of ʿarab, but rather a generic noun.

فلاةnoun
  1. 1.
    desertboth

    An open, uncultivated, and often desolate tract of land; a desert.

هلباnoun
  1. 1.
    vastnessclassical

    Great extent or size; vastness, often used to describe a desert.

اللاتname
  1. 1.
    plural of 'allatī'both

    plural of 'allatī'

رباverb
  1. 1.
    it increasedboth

    it increased

  2. 2.
    when he was seized by shortness of breathboth

    when he was seized by shortness of breath

نبياnoun
  1. 1.
    Nabataeanclassical

    Pertaining to the Nabataeans, an ancient Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and southern Syria.

قلباnoun
  1. 1.
    heartboth

    The central organ of circulation; metaphorically, the core or essence of something.

Parallel reading

أن تجمع الإنسان وتشد رجليه ويديه.
That a person gathers themselves and tightens their legs and hands.
ظلت عليه عقاب الموت ساقطة
The vultures of death remained fallen upon him
قد قرفصت روحه تلك المخاليب
those talons had crouched upon his soul
ضرب من القعود، يمد ويقصر.
A type of sitting, which can be elongated or shortened.
قعد فلان القرفصاء
So-and-so sat in the Qurfasaa posture
وهو أن يجلس على أليتيه ويلصق فخذيه ببطنه ويحتبي بيديه يضعهما على ساقيه، كما يحتبى بالثوب، تكون يداه مكان الثوب.
Which is to sit on one's buttocks, press one's thighs to one's abdomen, and hold one's shins with one's hands as one would hold a garment, with one's hands in the place of the garment.
هو أن يجلس على ركبتيه منكبا ويلصق بطنه بفخذيه ويتأبط كفيه، وهى جلسة الاعراب.
It is to sit on one's knees, leaning forward, pressing one's abdomen to one's thighs, and tucking one's palms under one's armpits; it is the posture of the Bedouins.
لو امتخطت وبرا وضبا
Even if you were to blow your nose with hair and a lizard,
ولم تنل غير الجمال كسبا
And gained nothing but beauty as a livelihood,
وقيس عيلان الكرام الغلبا
And the noble, dominant Qays 'Aylan,
ثم جلست القرفصا منكبا
Then you sat in the Qurfasaa posture, leaning forward,
تحكى أعاريب فلاة هلبا
Imitating the Bedouins of a vast desert,
ثم اتخذت اللات فينا ربا
Then you took Al-Lat as a lord among us,
ما كنت إلا نبطيا قلبا
You would be nothing but a Nabataean at heart.