ويب

Root entry · 15 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns expressions of lamentation, condemnation, or expressing strong surprise, often invoking divine will. It is closely related to the concept of 'woe' or 'alas'. The usage can vary, sometimes implying a curse or a wish for something to befall someone, and other times expressing astonishment.

Derived headwords

وَيَبٌ، كُوَيْلٌnoun

1.
woe, lamentationclassical
Four terms that are similar in pronunciation and meaning, used to express woe or lamentation. Some scholars differentiate their usage, with some pertaining to good fortune and others to ruin.

وُيَيْحٌnoun

1.
woe, lamentationclassical
One of four terms similar in pronunciation and meaning, used to express woe or lamentation.

وُيَيْسٌnoun

1.
woe, lamentationclassical
One of four terms similar in pronunciation and meaning, used to express woe or lamentation.

وَيَهٌnoun

1.
woe, lamentationclassical
An expression of woe or lamentation, mentioned by Al-Khalil.

وَيْكٌnoun

1.
woe, lamentationclassical
An expression of woe or lamentation, mentioned in Tahdhib al-Af'al.

وَيَبَكَverb

1.
may God make it befall youclassical
A phrase used to invoke a negative consequence upon someone, often interpreted as 'May God make woe befall you'. The pronunciation of the final vowel can vary.

وَيَبٌ لَكَverb

1.
may God make it befall youclassical
An expression invoking a negative consequence, similar to 'woe to you'. The verb can be conjugated with different prepositions and pronouns.

وَيَبٌ لِزَيْدٍverb

1.
may God make it befall Zaydclassical
An expression invoking a negative consequence upon Zayd, similar to 'woe to Zayd'. The verb can be conjugated with different prepositions and pronouns.

وَيَبَا لَهُverb

1.
woe to himclassical
An expression of woe directed at someone, functioning similarly to 'wailan lahu'. The grammatical construction can involve different cases and prepositions.

وَيَبَهُverb

1.
may God make it befall himclassical
An expression invoking a negative consequence upon a third person, similar to 'woe to him'. This form involves the addition of a pronoun suffix.

وَيَبَ غَيْرِهِverb

1.
may God make it befall anotherclassical
An expression invoking a negative consequence upon someone else, similar to 'woe to another'. This construction is attributed to Abu 'Amr.

وَيَبَ زَيْدٌverb

1.
Zayd is afflictedclassical
An expression indicating that Zayd has been afflicted or has fallen into ruin. The grammatical construction can vary, with the final vowel of 'wib' being either open or closed.

وَيَبَ فُلَانٌverb

1.
so-and-so is afflictedclassical
An expression indicating that a certain person has been afflicted or has fallen into ruin. This usage is considered rare and was noted by Ibn al-A'rabi.

وَيَبًا لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِnoun

1.
astonishingly
Used to express astonishment or wonder at a matter. This usage is distinct from the primary meaning of woe or lamentation.

الْوَيْبَةُnoun

1.
a measure of lengthclassical
A unit of measurement, equivalent to two or twenty-four 'madd'. Its origin is debated, with some considering it a later coinage.

Parallel reading

أربعة ألفاظ متوافقة لفظا ومعنى، ولا خامس لها

Four terms that are similar in pronunciation and meaning, and there is no fifth.

بعضها يكون في الخير، وبعضها يكون في وقوع في هلكة

Some of them are used for good fortune, and some are used for falling into ruin.

وتقول: ويبك، بفتح الموحدة وبكسرها

And you say: 'waybak', with the 'ba' being open or closed.

وهاذه الأخيرة عن الفراء

And this latter pronunciation is from Al-Farra'.

وويب لك، وويب لزيد وبالحركات الثلاث مع اللام، خطابا وغيبة

And 'wayba lak', and 'wayba li-Zayd' with the three vowel movements with the 'lam', addressing and absent.

وويبه بكسر الموحدة

And 'waybahu' with the 'ba' being closed.

وهاتان عن أبي عمر و

And these two [forms] are from Abu 'Amr.

وويب زيد بكسر الباء وفتحها معا

And 'wayba Zayd' with the 'ba' being closed and open together.

ورفع فلان مبتدأ أو خبرا

And 'raf'a fulan' as a subject or predicate.

وهو استعمال غريب

And this is a strange usage.

ومعنى الكل: ألزمه الله ويلا

And the meaning of all of them is: May God make woe befall him.

فإن جئت باللام، رفعت، فقلت: ويب لزيد

So if you bring the 'lam', you raise [the noun], and you say: 'wayba li-Zayd'.

ونصبت منونا، فقلت: ويبا لزيد

And you make it accusative with tanwin, and you say: 'wayban li-Zayd'.

فالرفع مع اللام على الابتداء أجود من النصب

So the nominative with the 'lam' as a subject is better than the accusative.

والنصب مع الإضافة أجود من الرفع

And the accusative with the possessive construction is better than the nominative.

من العرب من يقول: ويبك، وويب غيرك

Some of the Arabs say: 'waybak', and 'wayba ghayrik'.

ومنهم من يقول: ويبا لزيد، كقولك: ويلا لزيد

And some of them say: 'wayban li-Zayd', like you say: 'waylan li-Zayd'.

على أي شيء ويب غيرك دلكا

On what matter does 'wayba ghayrik' lead you?

حسبت بغام راحلتي عناقا وما هي ويب غيرك بالعناق

I thought the bleating of my camel was that of a young goat, and it is not 'wayba ghayrik' [leading you] to be a young goat.

والمصنف زاد على ما ذكروه عموم استعماله بالموحدة الجارة بدل اللام

And the author added to what they mentioned the general use of it with the preposition 'ba' instead of 'lam'.

وإضافته للغائب في ويبه، كما أضيف في اللغة العامة إلى ضمير المتكلم

And its addition to the third person in 'waybahu', as it is commonly added to the first-person pronoun.

وإضافته إلى الظاهر مشهور، كويل

And its addition to an explicit noun is common, like 'kwayl'.

أي عجبا له

Meaning, 'astonishing for it'.

والويبة، على وزن شيبة

And 'al-waybah', on the pattern of 'shaybah'.

اثنان أو أربعة وعشرون مدا

Two or twenty-four 'madd'.

والصحيح أنها مولدة، استعملها أهل الشام ومصر وإفريقية

And the correct view is that it is a later coinage, used by the people of Sham, Egypt, and Ifriqiya.