بكم

Form 1 · Form 5 · 4 entries · Qur'ānic frequency 6

Form 1بَكِمَ3 senses · 1 main

muḍāriʿـَيَفْعَلُ·ـُيَفْعُلُmaṣdarبَكَمٌ بَكَامَةٌ

Core sense — he was dumb; he refrained from speaking; he abstained from marriagegenerated

1.1he was dumb, either by natural conformation or because he could not find words to say what he wanted—أَخْرَسٌ

Or: he was dumb, and also unable to find words to say what he wanted, and weak in understanding, silly, or stupid.

Or: he was dumb and deaf and blind from birth.

بَكَمٌ is synonymous with خَرَسٌ, and so is بَكَامَةٌ [by rule a maṣdar of بَكُمَ, which may also have the same meaning as بَكِمَ, besides another meaning explained below].

Or: he had not the understanding to reply, nor the ability to frame speech well, though he had the faculty of speech. [See أَبْكَمُ.]

1.1.1he refrained from speaking, either intentionally or out of ignorance—بَكُمَ

Some say: he broke off, or ceased, from speaking.

1.1.2figurative · مجاز

He cut himself off, or desisted, from marriage and sexual relations, either out of ignorance or intentionally.

Show Lane's original text

aor. بَكَمَ , (Msb, K,) inf. n. بَكَمٌ , (S, K,) He was أَخْرَسٌ [meaning dumb, either by natural conformation or from inability to find words to express what he would say]; (S, Msb, K; *) بَكَمٌ being syn. with خَرَسٌ , as is also بَكَامَةٌ [accord. to rule an inf. n. of بَكُمَ , which may also have the same signification as بَكِمَ , as well as another to be explained below]: (K:) or he had not understanding to reply, (T, Msb, TA,) nor ability to frame speech well, (T, TA,) though possessing the faculty of speech: [see أَبْكَمُ :] (T, Msb, TA:) or he was dumb, and moreover unable to find words to express what he would say, and weak in understanding, silly, or stupid: (K:) or he was dumb and deaf and blind by birth. (Th, K.) بَكُمَ , aor. بَكُمَ , (inf. n. بَكَامَةٌ , TK,) He refrained, (Lth, K) or, as some say, broke off, or ceased, (TA,) from speaking, intentionally, (Lth, K, TA,) or from ignorance. (Lth, TA.) He cut himself off, or desisted, from marriage, or sexual intercourse, either from ignorance or intentionally. (K, TA.)

Form 5تبكّم عَلَيْهِ الكَلَامُ1 sense

Core sense — his speech became impeded, he could not speak freelygenerated

5.1

His speech was, or became, impeded; he was unable to speak freely.

Show Lane's original text

His speech was, or became, impeded; he was unable to speak freely. (A, K.)

Derived nouns 2

Nounبَكِيمٌ1 sense

Core sense — dumb, unable to find words or to replygenerated

See what follows, in two places.

Show Lane's original text

: see what follows, in two places.

Nounأَبْكَمٌ1 sense

Core sense — dumb, unable to find words or to replygenerated

1the same as أَخْرَسُ [meaning dumb, either by natural conformation or from inability to find words to express what one would say]—بَكِيمٌ

Or: not having the understanding to reply, nor the ability to frame speech well, though possessing the faculty of speech; whereas اخرس means speechless, or without the faculty of speech, by natural conformation, like the beast that cannot articulate; unable to find words to say what one wants; unable to reply. Or: dumb by natural conformation.

Feminine بَكْمَآءُ; plurals بُكْمٌ and بُكْمَانٌ, both plurals of أَبْكَمُ, just as صُمٌّ and صُمَّانٌ are plurals of أَصَمُّ; and the plural of بَكِيمٌ is أَبْكَامٌ.

In the Qur'ān 2:166, بُكْمٌ means people in the condition of one who has been born dumb; or, as some say, deprived of their intellects; or ignorant and ignoble, because they profit little by the faculty of speech, so that they are as though they had been deprived of it.

The phrase فِتْنَةٌ صَمَّآءُ بَكْمَآءُ عَمْيَآءُ, occurring in a tradition, [literally] meaning [A sedition, or the like,] deaf, dumb, blind, applies to a فتنة that does not withdraw or become removed; or, as some say, to one which, because of the confusion attending it and the perishing of the sound and the sick in it, is likened to the deaf and dumb and blind person who does not pursue the right course to a thing but goes at random like a weak-sighted she-camel.

Qur’ān 2:171 approximate — somewhere between 2:166 and 2:175 Lane cites “Kur ii. 166”

Qur’ān 2:171 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root

وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً ۚ صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout Like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom.Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)

Qur’ānic occurrences أَبْكَم 1 shown of 6

2:18

صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ

Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path).

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

(T, S, Msb, K, &c.) and بَكِيمٌ (S, K) i. q. أَخْرَسُ [meaning Dumb, either by natural conformation or from inability to find words to express what he would say]: (S, Msb, K:) or not having understanding to reply, (IAar, T, Msb, TA,) nor ability to frame speech well, (T, TA,) though possessing the faculty of speech; whereas اخرس signifies speechless, or destitute of the faculty of speech, by natural conformation, (T, Msb, TA,) like the beast that lacks the faculty of articulation; (T, TA;) unable to find words to express what he would say; unable to reply: (AZ, TA:) or dumb by natural conformation: (IAth, TA:) fem. بَكْمَآءُ : (TA:) pl. بُكْمٌ (Msb, K) and بُكْمَانٌ , (K,) both pls. of أَبْكَمُ , like as صُمٌّ and صُمَّانٌ are pls. of أَصَمُّ ; and the pl. of بَكِيمٌ is أَبْكَامٌ . (TA.) In the Kur ii. 166, بُكْمٌ means persons in the condition of him who has been born dumb: or, as some say, deprived of their intellects: (Zj, TA:) or ignorant and ignoble; because not profiting much by the faculty of speech, so that they are as though they had been deprived of it. (IAth, TA.) The phrase فِتْنَةٌ صَمَّآءُ بَكْمَآءُ عَمْيَآءُ , occurring in a trad., [lit.] meaning [A sedition, or the like,] deaf, dumb, blind, applies to a فتنة that does not withdraw, or become removed: or, as some say, to one which, by reason of the confusion attending it, and the perishing of the sound and the sick therein, is likened to the deaf and dumb and blind who does not pursue the right course to a thing, but goes at random like the weak-sighted she-camel. (TA.)