Core sense — a number from three to nine; a part of the nightgenerated
1From three to nine [&c.] men—بِضْعُ رِجَالٍ
And بَضْعٌ, some of the Arabs pronouncing it with kesr. A number under ten; and an odd number, meaning a number between two round, or decimal, numbers: from one to ten, and from eleven to twenty; so according to Mebremán, that is, Mohammad Ibn-'Alee Ibn-Ismá'eel the Lexicologist, Mebremán being his surname.
Or from three to nine, so according to Katádeh; or from three to less than ten, according to Fr, with the nouns of number in the masculine gender; or not less than three nor more than ten, according to Sh; or from three to ten, according to Mgh; or to seven, according to Mujáhid; or to five, according to AO; or from one to four, according to AO and O; or to five, an explanation ascribed to AO; or from four to nine, according to ISd, and this is the meaning Th preferred; or it means five, according to Mukátil; or seven, according to Mukátil and to some others; or ten, according to Ed-Dahhák.
Or an undefined number: غَيْرُ مَحْدُودٍ, so says Sgh; in the K, wrongly, غَيْرُ مَعْدُودٍ, because it means a portion, which is undefined. It also means, with ten, in the same way: from thirteen to nineteen.
from three to nine [&c.] women—بِضْعُ نِسْوَةٍ
from three to nine [&c.] years—بِضْعُ سِنِينَ
[in from three to nine, &c., years]—فِى بِضْعِ سِنِينَ
[And he remained in the prison from three to nine, &c., years]—فَلَبِثَ فِى السِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ
When it means from three to nine, or to ten, or to seven, or some number under ten without another noun of number, it is used unchanged for both masculine and feminine. One says:
Qur'ān 30:3.
Qur'ān 12:42.
From thirteen to nineteen [&c.] men—بِضْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
But when it denotes a number above ten, with a masculine noun it takes بِضْعَة ة, and with a feminine noun it is without ة. One says:
from thirteen to nineteen [&c.] women—بِضْعَ عَشْرَةَ ٱمْرَأَةً
Just as one says ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا and ثَلَاثَ عَشْرةَ ٱمْرَأَةً.
Twenty and odd men—بِضْعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
Once past the word for ten, that is, for a number above twenty, it is not used: one does not say بِضْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ, but نَيِّفٌ وَعِشْرُونَ, and likewise with the remaining numbers; or one does say بِضْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ. According to AZ one says:
twenty and odd women—بِضْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ ٱمْرَأَةً
But not the reverse. ISd says: we have not heard this, but there is no objection to it. Fr says that بِضْعٌ is not mentioned except with ten and with twenty up to ninety, not with what exceeds this: one does not say بِضْعٌ وَمِائَةٌ nor بِضْعٌ وَأَلْفٌ, but مِائَةٌ وَنَيِّفٌ and أَلْفٌ وَنَيِّفٌ. It occurs in traditions with عِشْرُونَ and with ثَلَاثُونَ.
Lane cites “Kur xxx. 3” — Flügel numbering, not yet mapped
Qur’ān 12:42 matched to Lane’s own quotation of it Lane cites “Kur xii. 42”
Qur’ān 12:42 Lane quotes this verse
وَقَالَ لِلَّذِى ظَنَّ أَنَّهُۥ نَاجٍ مِّنْهُمَا ٱذْكُرْنِى عِندَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَىٰهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِى ٱلسِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَAnd of the two, to that one whom he consider about to be saved, he said: "Mention me to thy lord." But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord: and (Joseph) lingered in prison a few (more) years.Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
1.1[A part, or portion, of the night passed]—مَضَى بِضْعٌ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ
بِضْعٌ and بَضْعٌ also mean a part, or portion, of the night; a time of it. One says:
J mentions it with ص in place of ض, and explains it by جَوْشٌ.
Qur’ānic occurrences بِضْع
12:42
وَقَالَ لِلَّذِى ظَنَّ أَنَّهُۥ نَاجٍ مِّنْهُمَا ٱذْكُرْنِى عِندَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَىٰهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِى ٱلسِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَAnd of the two, to that one whom he consider about to be saved, he said: "Mention me to thy lord." But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord: and (Joseph) lingered in prison a few (more) years.
30:4
فِى بِضْعِ سِنِينَ ۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْرُ مِن قَبْلُ وَمِنۢ بَعْدُ ۚ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَWithin a few years. With Allah is the Decision, in the past and in the Future: on that Day shall the Believers rejoice-
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
Show Lane's original text
(S, Mgh, Msb, K, &c.) and بَضْعٌ , (S, Msb, K,) some of the Arabs pronouncing it with kesr, (S, Msb,) [A number under ten; and an odd number, meaning] a number between two round, or decimal, numbers; (AZ, K;) from one to ten [exclusive of the latter]; and from eleven to twenty [exclusive of the latter]; so accord. to Mebremán; (K;) i. e. Mohammad Ibn-'Alee Ibn-Ismá'eel the Lexicologist, Mebremán being his surname: (TA:) or from three to nine; (S, Msb, K [in the first and last the ns. being in the fem. gender; but in the second, masc.];) so accord. to Katádeh; (Mgh;) from three to less than ten: (Fr [the ns. of number in the masc. gender]:) or not less than three nor more than ten; (Sh [the first n. of number in the fem. gender, and the second masc.];) from three to ten: (Mgh [the ns. of number in the masc. gender]:) or to seven: (Mujáhid, Mgh:) or to five: (AO, K [the n. of number in the fem. gender]:) or from one to four: (AO, O, K [the ns. of number in the masc. gender]:) or to five; an explanation ascribed to AO: (TA:) or from four to nine; (ISd, K [the ns. of number fem.];) and this is the signification preferred by Th: (TA:) or it signifies five: (Mukátil [this n. of number masc.]:) or seven; (Mukátil, K [in the K this n. of number being fem.];) so accord. to some: (AO:) or ten: (Ed-Dahhák [this n. of number masc.]:) or an undefined number; غَيْرُ مَحْدُودٍ ; so says Sgh; [and the like is said in the Msb;] in the K, erroneously, غَيْرُ مَعْدُودٍ ; (TA;) because it means a portion, (Sgh, K,) which is undefined: (Sgh, TA:) it also signifies, with ten, [in like manner; i. e. ten and a number under ten; or the like: as] from thirteen to nineteen. (Msb.) When used as signifying from three to nine, (Mgh, Msb,) or to ten, or to seven, (Mgh,) [or to signify some number under ten, without another n. of number,] it is masc. and fem. without variation: (Mgh, Msb:) you say بِضْعُ رِجَالٍ From three to nine [&c.] men: and بِضْعُ نِسْوَةٍ from three to nine [&c.] women: (Msb:) and بِضْعُ سِنِينَ from three to nine [&c.] years: (S:) and فِى بِضْعِ سِنِينَ [in from three to nine, &c., years]: (Kur xxx. 3:) and فَلَبِثَ فِى السِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ [And he remained in the prison from three to nine, &c., years]. (Kur xii. 42.) But when used to denote a number above ten, (Mgh, Msb,) with a masc. n. it is with بِضْعَة ة ,) and with a fem. n. it is without ة : (ISk, Mgh, Msb, K:) you say بِضْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا From thirteen to nineteen [&c.] men: and بِضْعَ عَشْرَةَ ٱمْرَأَةً from thirteen to nineteen [&c.] women: (S, Mgh, * TA:) like as you say ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا and ثَلَاثَ عَشْرةَ ٱمْرَأَةً . (Mgh.) When you have passed the word denoting ten, (S, K,) [i. e.] to denote a number above twenty, (Msb,) it is not used: (S, Msb, K:) you do not say بِضْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ , (S, K,) but نَيِّفٌ وَعِشْرُونَ ; and so in the cases of the remaining numbers: (S:) or you do say بِضْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ : (Sgh, K:) accord. to AZ, (Msb,) you say بِضْعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا (Mgh, Msb, K) meaning Twenty and odd men: (AZ, TA:) and بِضْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ ٱمْرَأَةً (Mgh, Msb, K) meaning twenty and odd women: (AZ, TA:) but not the reverse: (K:) ISd says, we have not heard this, but there is no objection to it: (TA:) and Fr says, بِضْعٌ is not mentioned save with ten and twenty to ninety; (IB, K;) not with what exceeds this: (IB:) you do not say بِضْعٌ وَمِائَةٌ nor بِضْعٌ وَأَلْفٌ , (IB, K,) but مِائَةٌ وَنَيِّفٌ [and أَلْفٌ وَنَيِّفٌ ]: (IB:) it occurs in trads. with عِشْرُونَ and with ثَلَاثُونَ . (TA.) بِضْعٌ and بَضْعٌ also signify A part, or portion, of the night: (K:) a time thereof. (Lh.) You say, مَضَى بِضْعٌ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ [A part, or portion, of the night passed]. (TA.) J mentions it with ص [in the place of ض ]; and explains it by جَوْشٌ , q. v. (TA.)