muḍāriʿـِيَفْعِلُmaṣdarبُكَآءٌ
Core sense — he wept, he shed tears; he sang; the cloud rainedgenerated
1.1[He wept] for, or over, him, or it—بَكَى لَهُ
maṣdar بُكَآءٌ, بُكًا and مَبْكًى.
Er-Rāghib: he wept, that is, he lamented, or grieved, shedding tears at the same time; and he lamented, or grieved, alone; and he shed tears alone.
According to some, the better opinion is that there is no difference between بُكَآءُ and بُكًا. Or the former means the crying, or uttering of the voice [of lamentation], that goes with البُكَآء [so in copies of the S and in the TA, but correctly البُكَا], and the latter the shedding of tears.
Er-Rāghib: the former, with medd, means the shedding of tears by reason of lamentation, or grief, together with raising of the voice, or crying, when the voice is predominant — like رُغَآءٌ and ثُغَآءٌ and other words of the same form used for the uttering of a cry or of the voice; and the latter, [the shedding of tears, etc.,] when lamentation, or grief, is predominant.
Or by the former is meant the crying, or uttering of the voice [of lamentation], and by the latter the lamenting, or grieving.
تَبْكَآءٌ and تِبْكَآءٌ [may be maṣdars of بَكَى or of بَكَّى and] mean the same as بُكَآءٌ, or much بُكَاء [or weeping, etc.].
MF asserts that تِبْكَآءٌ (with kesr) and the first of these explanations are unknown; but both the word and the explanation are mentioned by Lh, as used in a form of words uttered by Arab women of the desert to fascinate men.
ISd, however, says that it should be تَبْكَآء, because it is a maṣdar of a class formed to denote muchness [of the attribute signified by the verb], like تَهْذَارٌ and تَلْعَابٌ, etc.
IAar says that تَبْكَاءٌ, with fet-h, has the second of the two meanings assigned above. [See what is said of the measure تِفْعَالٌ under بَيَّنَ.]
[He wept] for, or over, him, or it—بَكَى عَلَيْهِ
[He wept] because, or in consequence, of it—بَكَى بِهِ
Only this form is used, [or this and also بَكَىمِنْهُ, as appears from what follows,] in the latter meaning; so the ʿInáyeh.
he wept for him—بَكَاهُ
Maṣdar of the first of these two بُكَآءٌ [and بُكًا], and of the second تَبْكِيَةٌ. Both mean the same as بَكَى عَلَيْهِ, the object being a man.
Or, as some say: he wept for, or over, him, that is, one dead; or he did that and enumerated his good qualities or actions; synonym رَثَاهُ.
he wept for him—بَكَّاهُ
[he wept because, or in consequence, of it, i. e.,] on account of being pained—بَكَاهُ
[he wept for, or over, him,] out of tenderness of heart, or compassion—بَكَى عَلَيْهِ
Hence it is said that بَكَيْتُهُ is originally بَكَيْتُ مِنْهُ [and بَكَّاهُ may have an intensive, or a frequentative, meaning; for it is said that] بَكِّى, addressed to the eye, means weep much, and repeatedly.
1.1.1figurative · مجاز — inferredthe cloud rained—بَكَت السَّحَابَةُ
1.1.2he sang—بَكَى
[In the CK, وبَكَى عَنِّى is put by mistake for وبَكَى غَنَّى.]
So the verb has two opposite meanings. According to MF it has this meaning only of the pigeon and the like; but it is used in this sense of a man too, as in a verse cited under جَنَازَةٌ.
He remarks that the claim that it has two opposite meanings needs consideration, seeing that it is also said to mean رَثَى [for in the performance of رِثَآء singing is a common practice]; but رِثَآء is generally accompanied by lamentation, and غِنَآء by rejoicing.
1.1.3
بَاكَيْتُهُ فَبَكَيْتُهُ: see Form 3.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 4 shown of 5
12:16
وَجَآءُوٓ أَبَاهُمْ عِشَآءً يَبْكُونَThen they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping.
17:109
وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا ۩They fall down on their faces in tears, and it increases their (earnest) humility.
44:29
فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنظَرِينَAnd neither heaven nor earth shed a tear over them: nor were they given a respite (again).
53:60
وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَAnd will ye laugh and not weep,-
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
, aor. بَكِىَ , (Msb, K,) inf. n. بُكَآءٌ and بُكًا (S, Msb, K) and مَبْكًى , (Har p. 11,) He wept; i. e. he lamented, or grieved, shedding tears at the same time; and he lamented, or grieved, alone; and he shed tears alone: (Er-Rághib, TA:) accord. to some, the preferable opinion is, that there is no difference between بُكَآءُ and بُكًا : (TA:) or the former means the crying, or uttering of the voice [of lamentation], (S, IKtt, Msb, TA, &c.,) that accompanies البُكَآء [so in copies of the S and in the TA, but correctly البُكَا ]; (S, IKtt, TA;) and the latter ( بُكًا ), the shedding of tears: (S, IKtt, Msb, TA, &c.:) or the former, i. e. with medd, means the shedding of tears by reason of lamentation, or grief, and raising of the voice, or crying, [at the same time,] when the voice is predominant, being like رُغَآءٌ , and ثُغَآءٌ and other words of the same form applied to denote the uttering of a cry or of the voice; and the latter, [the shedding of tears &c.] when lamentation, or grief, is predominant: (Er-Rághib, TA:) or by the former is meant the crying, or uttering of the voice [of lamentation]; and by the latter, the lamenting, or grieving. (Kh, TA.) تَبْكَآءٌ and تِبْكَآءٌ [may be inf. ns. of بَكَى or of بَكَّى , and] signify the same as بُكَآءٌ : or much بُكَاء [or weeping, &c.]: (K:) MF asserts that تِبْكَآءٌ (with kesr) and the former of these explanations are unknown; but both the word and the explanation are mentioned by Lh, as used in a form of words uttered by Arab women of the desert to fascinate men: ISd, however, says that it should be تَبْكَآء , because it is an inf. n. of a class formed to denote muchness [of the attribute signified by the verb], like تَهْذَارٌ and تَلْعَابٌ &c.; and IAar says that تَبْكَاءٌ , with fet-h, has the latter of the two significations assigned to it above. (TA.) [See what is said of the measure تِفْعَالٌ voce بَيَّنَ .] You say, بَكَى لَهُ (MF, TA) and بَكَى عَلَيْهِ , (S, Msb, K, MF,) meaning [He wept] for, or over, him, or it: and only بَكَى بِهِ [or thus and also بَكَىمِنْهُ as appears from what follows] when meaning [He wept] because, or in consequence, of it: ('Ináyeh, MF, TA:) and بَكَاهُ and بَكَّاهُ , (As, AZ, S, Msb, K,) inf. n. of the former بُكَآءٌ (K) [and بُكًا ], and of the latter تَبْكِيَةٌ , (TA,) signify the same as بَكَى عَلَيْهِ ; (As, AZ, S, Msb, * K;) the object being a man: (As, S:) and (or as some say, TA) he wept for, or over, him, i. e., one dead; or did so, and enumerated his good qualities or actions; syn. رَثَاهُ : (K:) or, as some say, بَكَاهُ means [he wept because, or in consequence, of it, i. e.,] on account of being pained: and بَكَى عَلَيْهِ , [he wept for, or over, him,] by reason of tenderness of heart, or compassion: and [hence] it is said that بَكَيْتُهُ is originally بَكَيْتُ مِنْهُ : (TA:) [and بَكَّاهُ may have an intensive, or a frequentative, meaning; for it is said that] بَكِّى , addressed to the eye, signifies weep thou much, and repeatedly. (Ham p. 461.) [Hence,] بَكَت السَّحَابَةُ The cloud rained. (Msb.) بَكَى also means He sang: [in the CK, وبَكَى عَنِّى is erroneously put for وبَكَى غَنَّى :] thus it has two contr. significations: (K, TA:) accord. to MF, it has this meaning only in relation to the pigeon and the like; but it is also used in this sense when said of a man, as in a verse cited voce جَنَازَةٌ , q. v. : and he observes that the assertion of its having two contr significations requires consideration, seeing that it is also said to signify رَثَى ; [for in the performance of رِثَآء , it is a common practice to sing;] but رِثَآء is generally accompanied by lamentation, and غِنَآء by rejoicing. (TA.) بَاكَيْتُهُ فَبَكَيْتُهُ : see 3.