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ع س ف

Root entry · 22 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns deviation from a path, whether literal or metaphorical. It extends to concepts of injustice, oppression, and hardship, as well as physical states of exhaustion or near-death, particularly in animals. It also encompasses terms for hired laborers and a specific geographical location.

Derived headwords

عَسَفَverb
  1. 1.
    to deviateboth

    To deviate or stray from the path, proceeding without guidance or a clear direction.

  2. 2.
    to oppressboth

    To act unjustly or oppressively, particularly by a ruler.

  3. 3.
    to exhaust (animal)classical

    To cause an animal, like a camel, to become exhausted and near death.

  4. 4.
    to hire outclassical

    To employ someone as a laborer.

  5. 5.
    to tend (flock)classical

    To look after and manage a flock or property.

عسف عن الطريق يعسف عسفا: مال وعدل وسار بغير هداية ولا توخى صوب — He deviated from the road, deviating, deviating: he inclined, turned aside, and traveled without guidance or seeking the right direction.
عَسْفًاnoun
  1. 1.
    deviationboth

    The act of deviating or straying from a path or course.

  2. 2.
    oppressionboth

    The act of injustice or oppression.

  3. 3.
    exhaustionclassical

    A state of extreme exhaustion, especially in animals nearing death.

اعتَسَفَverb
  1. 1.
    to take a difficult pathboth

    To take a path without clear direction, often by cutting across country.

  2. 2.
    to oppressboth

    To oppress someone or to act unjustly towards them.

  3. 3.
    to employclassical

    To employ someone as a laborer.

  4. 4.
    to travel at nightclassical

    To travel by night in search of something.

اعتسف الطريق اعتسافا — He took the path by cutting across country.
اعتِسَافًاnoun
  1. 1.
    taking a difficult pathboth

    The act of taking a path without clear direction, often by cutting across country.

  2. 2.
    traveling at nightclassical

    Traveling by night in search of something.

تَعَسَّفَverb
  1. 1.
    to deviateboth

    To deviate from the right course or path.

  2. 2.
    to oppressboth

    To oppress or act unjustly.

  3. 3.
    to take a difficult pathclassical

    To take a path without proper guidance or direction.

وتعسفه: إذا قطعه دون صوب توخاه فأصابه — And to take it by force: if he traversed it without reaching the intended destination and hitting it.
عَسِيفٌnoun
  1. 1.
    hired laborerboth

    A hired worker or employee.

  2. 2.
    slaveboth

    A slave or a servant who is mistreated or underestimated.

كالعسيف المربوع شل جمالا ما له دون منزل من مبيت — Like the hired laborer, he weakened the camels, having no place to rest before nightfall.
عُسُوفٌnoun
  1. 1.
    oppressorboth

    An unjust or tyrannical ruler or person.

  2. 2.
    exhaustionclassical

    A state of extreme exhaustion, especially in animals nearing death.

لا تبلغ شفاعتي إماما عسوفا — My intercession will not reach an oppressive leader.
عَسُوفٌadjective
  1. 1.
    oppressiveboth

    Characterized by injustice, tyranny, or oppression.

  2. 2.
    exhaustedclassical

    Near death from exhaustion, especially of an animal.

عَسْفَانname
  1. 1.
    a place nameboth

    A place located between Mecca and Medina, a stopping point for travelers.

ظبي بعسفان ساجي الطرف مطروف — A gazelle in 'Usfan, with heavy-lidded, downcast eyes.
أَعْسَفَverb
  1. 1.
    to take a difficult pathclassical

    To travel by night, cutting across country without clear direction.

  2. 2.
    to exhaust (animal)classical

    To cause a camel to reach a state of near death from exhaustion.

  3. 3.
    to employ severelyclassical

    To employ a young person for very hard labor.

  4. 4.
    to drink heavilyclassical

    To habitually drink from a large cup.

أعسف الرجل: أخذ بعيره نفس الموت — The man caused his camel to approach death.
عَسِيفَةnoun
  1. 1.
    hired laborersclassical

    A group of hired laborers.

مَعَاسِفnoun
  1. 1.
    desertsclassical

    Vast, trackless deserts or wildernesses.

أخذوا في معاسف البيد — They entered the trackless deserts.
عَسَّفَverb
  1. 1.
    to tire (animal)classical

    To tire out a camel by making it travel.

  2. 2.
    to oppressclassical

    To oppress someone or to ride them unjustly.

وعسفه: أي بعيره تعسيفا: أتعبه بالسير — And to tire out his camel by making it travel.
تَعْسِيفnoun
  1. 1.
    oppressionclassical

    The act of oppressing or acting unjustly.

  2. 2.
    traveling without guidanceclassical

    Traveling without knowledge or a clear path.

انْعَسَفَverb
  1. 1.
    to bendclassical

    To bend or curve.

واستيقنت أن الصليف منعسف — And I became certain that the neck was bent.
عَسَّافadjective
  1. 1.
    oppressiveboth

    Tyrannical and unjust.

سلطان عساف — An oppressive ruler.
عَسَّافnoun
  1. 1.
    near deathclassical

    A state of near death, particularly referring to the labored breathing of a dying animal.

العساف للإبل كالنزاع للإنسان — 'Al-ʿassāf' for camels is like 'al-nizāʿ' for humans.
عَسِيفًاadverb
  1. 1.
    as a laborerclassical

    In the capacity of a hired laborer.

مُعَسُوفَةadjective
  1. 1.
    oppressedclassical

    Subjected to oppression or injustice.

وامرأة معسوفة — And an oppressed woman.
تَعَسُّفnoun
  1. 1.
    oppressionboth

    The act of oppressing or acting unjustly.

  2. 2.
    taking a difficult pathclassical

    Taking a path without guidance or proper planning.

عَسَفَverb
  1. 1.
    to strike the coreclassical

    To strike something at its very core or essence, without hitting a joint.

وقع عليه السيف فتعسفه: أي أصاب الصميم دون المفصل — The sword struck him and 'ta'assafahu': meaning it hit the core without hitting the joint.
عَسَفَverb
  1. 1.
    to flow excessivelyclassical

    Describing tears flowing excessively and outside their normal channels.

والدمع يعسف الجفون: إذا كثر فجرى في غير مجاريه — And tears 'ya'sifu' the eyelids: when they are abundant and flow outside their usual channels.

Parallel reading

عسف عن الطريق يعسف عسفا: مال وعدل وسار بغير هداية ولا توخى صوب
He deviated from the road, deviating, deviating: he inclined, turned aside, and traveled without guidance or seeking the right direction.
اعتسف الطريق اعتسافا، وتعسفه: إذا قطعه دون صوب توخاه فأصابه
He took the path by cutting across country, and he traversed it: if he traversed it without reaching the intended destination and hitting it.
عسف السلطان: إذا ظلم
The Sultan oppressed: meaning he was unjust.
العسف في الأصل: أن يأخذ المسافر على غير طريق ولا جادة ولا علم
Al-'usf in origin: is for the traveler to take a path that is not a road, a highway, or known.
عسف فلانا: استخدمه، كاعتسفه: اتخذه عسيفا
He oppressed so-and-so: meaning he employed him, like 'i'tasafahu': meaning he took him as a hired laborer.
كم أعسف لك أي: كم أعمل لك: أي أسعى عليك عاملا لك، مترددا عليك، كعاسف الليل
How many have I employed for you? Meaning: How many have I made to work for you? Meaning: How many have I made to strive for you, coming and going for you, like one traveling by night.
عسف ضيعتهم: رعاها، وكفاهم أمرها وتردد فيما يصلحها
He tended their property: meaning he looked after it, took care of their affairs, and went back and forth to manage it.
عسف البعير يعسف عسفا وعسوفا، فهو عاسف: أشراف على الموت من الغدة، فجعل يتنفس فترجف حنجرته
The camel suffered from 'usf', it suffered 'usfan' and 'usufan', and it is 'asif': meaning it was near death from a gland, and it began to breathe, so its throat trembled.
العساف للإبل كالنزاع للإنسان
'Al-ʿassāf' for camels is like 'al-nizāʿ' for humans.
إذا أراد عسفه تعسفا
When he intended to take it by force, he took it by force.
كالعسيف المربوع شل جمالا ما له دون منزل من مبيت
Like the hired laborer, he weakened the camels, having no place to rest before nightfall.
أطعت النفس في الشهوات حتى أعادتني عسيفا عبد عبد
I obeyed my soul in its desires until it made me a slave of slaves, a hired laborer.
لا تقتلوا عسيفا ولا أسيفا
Do not kill a hired laborer nor a slave.
كأنها حين صدت ما تكلمنا ظبي بعسفان ساجي الطرف مطروف
As if when she turned away from us, speaking not, she was a gazelle in 'Usfan, with heavy-lidded, downcast eyes.
يا خليلي أربعا واس تخبرا رسما بعسفان
O my two companions, stop for a while and inquire about a trace in 'Usfan.
أخذوا في معاسف البيد
They entered the trackless deserts.
سلطان عساف
An oppressive ruler.
امرأة معسوفة
An oppressed woman.
وقع عليه السيف فتعسفه: أي أصاب الصميم دون المفصل
The sword struck him and 'ta'assafahu': meaning it hit the core without hitting the joint.
والدمع يعسف الجفون: إذا كثر فجرى في غير مجاريه
And tears 'ya'sifu' the eyelids: when they are abundant and flow outside their usual channels.