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سفه

Root entry · 16 derived lemmas

The root سفه (s-f-h) primarily denotes foolishness, immaturity, and a lack of sense or restraint, contrasting with wisdom and forbearance. It extends to meanings of lightness, being easily swayed, deception, and excessive consumption.

Derived headwords

السَّفَهُnoun
  1. 1.
    foolishnessboth

    The state of being foolish, immature, or lacking in wisdom and good judgment; the opposite of حلم (ḥilm - forbearance, clemency).

  2. 2.
    lightnessclassical

    Originally, it signifies lightness and movement, as in the wind easily moving trees.

سَفِهَverb
  1. 1.
    of 'sawīq' (a type of gruel) with 'ḍamma', meaning a grain or a handful of itboth

    of 'sawīq' (a type of gruel) with 'ḍamma', meaning a grain or a handful of it

  2. 2.
    the opposite of forbearanceboth

    the opposite of forbearance

  3. 3.
    its origin is lightness and movementboth

    its origin is lightness and movement

  4. 4.
    he made himself foolishboth

    he made himself foolish

  5. 5.
    he practiced in itboth

    he practiced in it

  6. 6.
    also 'safāhan' with fatḥboth

    also 'safāhan' with fatḥ

  7. 7.
    also 'safih' from the pattern of 'ṭarib'both

    also 'safih' from the pattern of 'ṭarib'

  8. 8.
    If they say 'safih nafsa-hu' (he made himself foolish) and 'safih ra'ya-hu' (he made his opinion foolish), they only say it with kasra, because 'faʿila' is not transitive with taḥrīk.both

    If they say 'safih nafsa-hu' (he made himself foolish) and 'safih ra'ya-hu' (he made his opinion foolish), they only say it with kasra, because 'faʿila' is not transitive with taḥrīk.

سَفِهَ (بالكسر)verb
  1. 1.
    to be foolishboth

    A variant pronunciation (with kasra) for becoming foolish or immature.

  2. 2.
    to consume excessivelyclassical

    To drink a beverage excessively without quenching one's thirst.

سَفَاهَةًnoun
  1. 1.
    foolishnessboth

    A noun denoting foolishness, immaturity, or lack of good sense.

تَسَفَّهَتْverb
  1. 1.
    to swayclassical

    The wind swayed the trees, meaning it moved them lightly.

  2. 2.
    to deceiveclassical

    To deceive someone out of their money.

  3. 3.
    to insultclassical

    To speak harshly or offensively to someone.

سَفَّهَهُverb
  1. 1.
    to call him foolish, he attributed foolishness to himboth

    to call him foolish, he attributed foolishness to him

تَسْفِيهًاnoun
  1. 1.
    attributing foolishnessboth

    The act of calling someone foolish or immature.

سَافَهَهُverb
  1. 1.
    he acted foolishly with himboth

    he acted foolishly with him

مُسَافَهَةًnoun
  1. 1.
    acting foolishlyclassical

    The act of behaving foolishly or immaturely towards someone.

سَفِيهadjective
  1. 1.
    foolishboth

    Characterized by foolishness, immaturity, or lack of sense.

  2. 2.
    light (reins)classical

    Describing the light reins of an animal, implying ease of control.

سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُverb phrase
  1. 1.
    to debase oneselfboth

    To act foolishly or to debase oneself, often implying a loss of dignity or self-respect.

سَفِهَ رَأْيَهُverb phrase
  1. 1.
    to make a bad judgmentboth

    To make a foolish or misguided judgment.

ضِقْتُ بِهِ ذَرْعًاverb phrase
  1. 1.
    to be fed up withboth

    To become extremely annoyed or exasperated with someone or something.

طِبْتُ نَفْسًا بِهِverb phrase
  1. 1.
    to be pleased withboth

    To be pleased or content with someone or something.

أَسْفَهَكَ اللهُverb phrase
  1. 1.
    May God make you foolishclassical

    A curse or expression of displeasure, wishing foolishness upon someone.

سَافَهْتُ الدَّنَّverb phrase
  1. 1.
    to drink from repeatedlyclassical

    To drink from a skin of liquid (like wine or buttermilk) intermittently over a period.

Parallel reading

السفه ضد الحلم
Foolishness is the opposite of forbearance.
وأصله الخفة والحركة
And its origin is lightness and movement.
تسفهت الريح الشجر، أي مالت به
The wind swayed the trees, meaning it tilted them.
جرين كما اهتزت رياح تسفهت أعاليها مر الرياح النواسم
They flowed as if swayed by winds, their tops moved by the passing, gentle breezes.
على ظهر مقلات سفيه جديلها
On the back of a light-footed camel whose reins are loose.
تسفهت فلانا عن ماله، إذا خدعته عنه
You deceived someone out of their money, if you tricked them away from it.
وتسفهت عليه، إذا أسمعته
And you spoke harshly to him, if you made him hear (offensive words).
وسفهه تسفيها: نسبه إلى السفه
And to call him foolish (tasfihan): to attribute foolishness to him.
وسافهه مسافهة
And he acted foolishly towards him (musafaha).
يقال: سفيه لم يجد مسافها
It is said: A foolish person who did not find someone to act foolishly with.
سفهت نفس زيد ورشد أمره
Zayd's soul acted foolishly, and his affair was guided.
ضقت به ذرعا
I became exasperated with him.
وطبت به نفسا
And I became pleased with him.
سفه فلان بالضم سفاها وسفاهة، وسفه بالكسر سفها، لغتان، أي صار سفيها
So-and-so became foolish (with damma) with foolishness (safahan) and foolishness (safahatan), and he became foolish (with kasra) with foolishness (safahan); these are two linguistic variants, meaning he became foolish.
سفهت الشراب أيضا بالكسر، إذا أكثرت منه فلم ترو
And you drank the beverage excessively (with kasra), if you drank a lot of it without quenching your thirst.
أسفهك الله
May God make you foolish.
وسافهت الدن أو الوطب، إذا قاعدته فشربت منه ساعة بعد ساعة
And you drank from the skin of liquid or buttermilk, if you sat with it and drank from it hour after hour.