مثل

Root entry · 20 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns resemblance, likeness, and representation. It extends to concepts of comparison, imitation, depiction, and the establishment of examples or punishments. It also encompasses the idea of standing upright and, in a contrasting sense, lying down.

Derived headwords

مِثْلnoun

1.
a word of equalityboth
a word of equality
2.
of a thing, also with two *fatḥas*: its descriptionboth
of a thing, also with two *fatḥas*: its description
3.
with *ḍamma* on the *thāʾ* and *sukūn* on itboth
with *ḍamma* on the *thāʾ* and *sukūn* on it
4.
he represented something for him, *tamthīlan*: if he depicted its likeness for him by writing or otherwiseboth
he represented something for him, *tamthīlan*: if he depicted its likeness for him by writing or otherwise
5.
he stood up straightboth
he stood up straight
6.
he punished himboth
he punished him
7.
he mutilated himboth
he mutilated him

هذا مثله ومثله كما يقال شبهه وشبهه بمعنى — This is its likeness and its likeness, just as it is said 'its resemblance' and 'its resemblance' with the same meaning.

مَثِيلadjective

1.
similar, likeboth
Resembling or comparable to something else.

هو مثيل هذا — He is similar to this.

أَمِيثَالnoun

1.
contemptible onesclassical
Used to refer to people or things that are considered insignificant or contemptible, implying a low status.

وهم أميثالهم — and they are their contemptible ones.

مَثَلnoun

1.
a word of equalityboth
a word of equality
2.
of a thing, also with two *fatḥas*: its descriptionboth
of a thing, also with two *fatḥas*: its description
3.
with *ḍamma* on the *thāʾ* and *sukūn* on itboth
with *ḍamma* on the *thāʾ* and *sukūn* on it
4.
he represented something for him, *tamthīlan*: if he depicted its likeness for him by writing or otherwiseboth
he represented something for him, *tamthīlan*: if he depicted its likeness for him by writing or otherwise
5.
he stood up straightboth
he stood up straight
6.
he punished himboth
he punished him
7.
he mutilated himboth
he mutilated him

والمثل: ما يضرب به من الأمثال — And the proverb: what is used for proverbs.

ومثل الشئ ms1251 أيضا: صفته — And the characteristic of a thing is also its description.

مِثَالnoun

1.
bedding, mattressclassical
A place to lie down, often referring to bedding or a mattress.
2.
example, modelboth
A representation or pattern used for imitation or illustration.

والمثال: الفراش — And the bedding: the mattress.

والمثال معروف — And the example is known.

مَثَّلَverb

1.
a word of equalityboth
a word of equality
2.
of a thing, also with two *fatḥas*: its descriptionboth
of a thing, also with two *fatḥas*: its description
3.
with *ḍamma* on the *thāʾ* and *sukūn* on itboth
with *ḍamma* on the *thāʾ* and *sukūn* on it
4.
he represented something for him, *tamthīlan*: if he depicted its likeness for him by writing or otherwiseboth
he represented something for him, *tamthīlan*: if he depicted its likeness for him by writing or otherwise
5.
he stood up straightboth
he stood up straight
6.
he punished himboth
he punished him
7.
he mutilated himboth
he mutilated him

مثلت له كذا تمثيلا، إذا صورت له مثاله بالكتابة وغيرها — I depicted such-and-such for him, meaning I drew his likeness for him in writing or otherwise.

مثل (1) بين يديه مثولا، أي انتصب قائما — He stood (1) before him, meaning he stood upright.

ومثل، أي لطأ بالأرض، وهو من الأضداد — And he lay down, meaning he lay on the ground, and it is from the opposites.

مثل به يمثل مثلا، أي نكل به — He made an example of him, meaning he punished him severely.

مثل بالقتيل: جدعه — He mutilated the slain.

تَمْثِيلnoun

1.
depiction, representationboth
The act or process of creating an image or likeness.
2.
actingmodern
The performance of a role in a play or film.

مثلت له كذا تمثيلا، إذا صورت له مثاله بالكتابة وغيرها — I depicted such-and-such for him, meaning I drew his likeness for him in writing or otherwise.

تِمْثَالnoun

1.
statue, imageboth
A sculpted or modeled representation of a person or thing.

والتمثال: الصورة — And the statue: the image.

تَمَاثِيلnoun

1.
statues, imagesboth
Plural of تمثال, referring to multiple sculpted or modeled representations.

والتمثال: الصورة، والجمع التماثيل — And the statue: the image, and the plural is statues.

مَثُولnoun

1.
standing uprightboth
The act of standing erect, especially in the presence of someone.

مثل (1) بين يديه مثولا، أي انتصب قائما — He stood (1) before him, meaning he stood upright.

مَاثِلَةadjective

1.
standing upright, prominentclassical
Erect or clearly visible, often used for structures like a lampstand.

ومنه قيل لمنارة المسرجة: ماثلة — And from this it is said of a lampstand: prominent.

مُسْتَبِينadjective

1.
clear, distinctclassical
Easily seen or understood; evident.

رسوم فمنها مستبين وماثل — traces, some of which are clear and some are standing.

مَاثِلadjective

1.
standing, presentclassical
Erect or present, often referring to traces or ruins.

والماثل: الرسوم — And the standing: the traces.

مَثْلَةnoun

1.
punishment, exemplary punishmentboth
A severe penalty inflicted to serve as a warning.
2.
mutilationclassical
The act of disfiguring or damaging a body.

والاسم المثلة بالضم — And the noun is 'muthlah' with dammah.

أَمْثَلَverb

1.
he made him an example (of punishment)both
he made him an example (of punishment)
2.
if he killed him in retaliationboth
if he killed him in retaliation
3.
meaning, the closest of them to goodnessboth
meaning, the closest of them to goodness

أمثله: جعله مثلة — He made an example of him: he made him a punishment.

أمثل السلطان فلانا، إذا قتله قودا — The sultan made an example of so-and-so, meaning he killed him in retribution.

ويقال للحاكم: أمثلني، وأقصني، وأقدني — And one says to the ruler: grant me retribution, and let me have my due, and let me exact my penalty.

أَمْثَلadjective

1.
he made him an example (of punishment)both
he made him an example (of punishment)
2.
if he killed him in retaliationboth
if he killed him in retaliation
3.
meaning, the closest of them to goodnessboth
meaning, the closest of them to goodness

وفلان أمثل بني فلان، أي أدناهم للخير — And so-and-so is the most suitable of his clan, meaning the closest to good.

وهؤلاء أماثل القوم، أي خيارهم — And these are the best of the people, meaning their elite.

مَثَالَةnoun

1.
virtue, excellenceclassical
The state of being virtuous or excellent.

وقد مثل الرجل بالضم مثالة، أي صار فاضلا — And the man became virtuous, meaning he became excellent.

مُثْلَىadjective

1.
most suitable, best (feminine)both
The feminine form of 'amthal', indicating the highest degree of suitability or excellence.

والمثلى: تأنيث الامثل، كالقصوى تأنيث الاقصى — And 'muthla': the feminine of 'amthal', like 'quswa' is the feminine of 'aqsa'.

تَمَثَّلَverb

1.
he recited this verseboth
he recited this verse
2.
he recited this verseboth
he recited this verse

تماثل من علته، أي أقبل — He recovered from his illness, meaning he improved.

وتمثل بهذا البيت وهذا البيت بمعنى — And he embodied this verse, and this verse has the same meaning.

امْتَثَلَverb

1.
he followed his command: he imitated itboth
he followed his command: he imitated it

امتثل أمره، أي احتذاه — He obeyed his command, meaning he followed it.

رباع لها مذ أورق العود عنده خماشات ذحل ما يراد امتثالها — Four-legged animals, since the wood became leafy for him, have desires that are not meant to be followed.

Parallel reading

هذا مثله ومثله كما يقال شبهه وشبهه بمعنى.

This is its likeness and its likeness, just as it is said 'its resemblance' and 'its resemblance' with the same meaning.

والعرب تقول: هو مثيل هذا، وهم أميثالهم: يريدون أن المشبه به حقير كما أن هذا حقير.

And the Arabs say: He is similar to this, and they are their contemptible ones: they mean that the one being compared to is insignificant, just as this one is insignificant.

والمثل: ما يضرب به من الأمثال.

And the proverb: what is used for proverbs.

ومثل الشئ ms1251 أيضا: صفته.

And the characteristic of a thing is also its description.

والمثال: الفراش، والجمع مثل، وإن شئت خففت.

And the bedding: the mattress, and its plural is 'mithal', and if you wish, you can shorten it.

والمثال معروف، والجمع أمثلة ومثل.

And the example is known, and its plural is 'amthilah' and 'mithal'.

ومثلت له كذا تمثيلا، إذا صورت له مثاله بالكتابة وغيرها.

I depicted such-and-such for him, meaning I drew his likeness for him in writing or otherwise.

والتمثال: الصورة، والجمع التماثيل.

And the statue: the image, and the plural is statues.

ومثل (1) بين يديه مثولا، أي انتصب قائما.

He stood (1) before him, meaning he stood upright.

ومن قيل لمنارة المسرجة: ماثلة.

And from this it is said of a lampstand: prominent.

ومثل، أي لطأ بالأرض، وهو من الأضداد.

And he lay down, meaning he lay on the ground, and it is from the opposites.

رسوم فمنها مستبين وماثل

Traces, some of which are clear and some are standing.

والماثل: الرسوم.

And the standing: the traces.

ومثل به يمثل مثلا، أي نكل به.

He made an example of him, meaning he punished him severely.

والاسم المثلة بالضم.

And the noun is 'muthlah' with dammah.

مثل بالقتيل: جدعه.

He mutilated the slain.

والمثلة بفتح الميم وضم الثاء: العقوبة، والجمع المثلات.

And 'muthlah' with fatha on the mim and dammah on the tha: the punishment, and its plural is 'muthlat'.

أمثله: جعله مثلة.

He made an example of him: he made him a punishment.

يقال: أمثل السلطان فلانا، إذا قتله قودا.

It is said: The sultan made an example of so-and-so, meaning he killed him in retribution.

ويقال للحاكم: أمثلني، وأقصني، وأقدني.

And one says to the ruler: grant me retribution, and let me have my due, and let me exact my penalty.

وفلان أمثل بني فلان، أي أدناهم للخير.

And so-and-so is the most suitable of his clan, meaning the closest to good.

وهؤلاء أماثل القوم، أي خيارهم.

And these are the best of the people, meaning their elite.

وقد مثل الرجل بالضم مثالة، أي صار فاضلا.

And the man became virtuous, meaning he became excellent.

والمثلى: تأنيث الامثل، كالقصوى تأنيث الاقصى.

And 'muthla': the feminine of 'amthal', like 'quswa' is the feminine of 'aqsa'.

وتماثل من علته، أي أقبل.

He recovered from his illness, meaning he improved.

وتمثل بهذا البيت وهذا البيت بمعنى.

And he embodied this verse, and this verse has the same meaning.

امتثل أمره، أي احتذاه.

He obeyed his command, meaning he followed it.