Core sense — a door, a gate, a place of entrance; a means of access; a chaptergenerated
1a door; a gate; a place of entrance—بَوَبٌ
This is the original form. It is applied also to the thing with which a place of entrance, such as a door or gate, is closed, whether of wood or of something else.
Plural أَبْوَابٌ, بِيبَانٌ, and أَبْوِبَةٌ; this last [is said to be] a plural of paucity, used only to match another word mentioned with it, as in the saying of Ibn-Mukbil: [A frequent render of tents, a frequent enterer of doors]
shāhidهَتَّاكُ أَخْبِيَةٍ وَ لَّاجُ أَبْوِبَةٍ
; it is not allowable when it stands alone.
IAar and Lh, however, hold that it is a plural of باب without being used to match another word; and this is irregular, since باب is of the measure فَعَلٌ, and a word of this measure does not by rule have a plural of the measure أَفْعِلَةٌ.
the door of the house—بَابٌ الدَّارِ
the door of the house, of the chamber, and of the tent—بَابُ البَيْتِ
the gate of the town or city—بَابُ البَلَدِ
Bishr Ibn-Abee-Házim assigns a باب to a grave, calling the grave a بَيْت.
It is applied also to an opening, or channel, made for water, to irrigate seed-produce: plural أَبْوَابٌ.
[And in Egypt it is applied also to a sepulchral chamber, grotto, or cave, hewn in a mountain; from the Coptic: plural بِيبَانٌ only.]
1.1figurative · مجازthis science is a means of attainment to such a science—هٰذَا العِلْمُ بَابٌ إِلَى عِلْمِ كَذَا
In a secondary application, the primary meaning being “a place of entrance”: a means of access, or of attainment, to a thing.
1.2figurative · مجاز — inferredthe expedients, tricks, or stratagems of war, battle, or fight—أَبْوَابُ الحَرْبِ
And hence, an expedient, a trick, a stratagem, or a process by which something is to be effected: plural أَبْوَابٌ.
a process of the science of the stars, that is, astrology or astronomy—بَابٌ مِنَ النُّجُومِ
a process of enchantment—بَابٌ مِنَ السِّحْرِ
See an example under سِحْرٌ.
on this sense Compare Matthew 16:18, probably meaning “the stratagems of Hell shall not prevail against it.”
1.3figurative · مجاز — inferredit is of this mode, kind, sort, class, or category—هُوَ مِنْ هٰذَا البَابِ
Also a mode, kind, sort, class, or category.
Suweyd Ibn-Kuráa uses the plural أَبْوَاب figuratively of rhymes, saying: [I gave utterance to the various kinds of rhymes as though I were driving with them a herd of wild animals desirous of the males, or of their usual places of pasture]
shāhidأَتَيْتُ بِأَبْوَابِ القَوَافِى كَأَنَّمَاأَذُودُ بِهَا سِرْبًا مِنَ الوَحْشِ نُزَّعَا
.
A phrase of frequent occurrence in lexicons and the like.
See also بَابَةٌ.
1.4figurative · مجاز — inferred
Also a chapter of a book or writing; and sometimes a section, or subdivision, of a chapter.
As a technical term: a piece consisting of words relating to matters of one kind, and sometimes to matters of one species. Plural أَبْوَابٌ.
See also بَابَةٌ.
1.5figurative · مجاز — inferredI explained his account to him head by head, each class of items by itself—بَيَّنْتُ لَهُ حِسَابَهُ بَابًا بَابًا
Also a head, or class of items or articles, in an account, or a reckoning.
A phrase mentioned by Sb.
Or, sometimes, بَابٌ and بَابَةٌ are used in relation to حُدُود [which here means the punishments so called], and to an account, or a reckoning, and the like, meaning the extreme term or limit, synonymous with غَايَةٌ; but IDrd was uncertain about this, and so it is not mentioned in the S.
Qur’ānic occurrences بَاب 5 shown of 24
15:44
لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْوَٰبٍ لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌTo it are seven gates: for each of those gates is a (special) class (of sinners) assigned.
38:50
جَنَّـٰتِ عَدْنٍ مُّفَتَّحَةً لَّهُمُ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبُGardens of Eternity, whose doors will (ever) be open to them;
43:34
وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ أَبْوَٰبًا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِـُٔونَAnd (silver) doors to their houses, and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline,
54:11
فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍSo We opened the gates of heaven, with water pouring forth.
78:19
وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًاAnd the heavens shall be opened as if there were doors,
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
, originally بَوَبٌ , (M, Msb,) A door; a gate; a place of entrance: and the thing with which a place of entrance, such as a door or gate, is closed; of wood &c.: (MF, TA:) pl. أَبْوَابٌ (S, M, Msb, K) and بِيبَانٌ (M, K) and أَبْوِبَةٌ , (S, M, K,) [a pl. of pauc., said to be] only used for conformity with another word mentioned therewith, as in the saying (of Ibn-Mukbil, so in a copy of the S), 1 [A frequent render of tents, a frequent enterer of doors], (S, M,) not being allowable when occurring alone; (S;) but IAar and Lh assert that it is a pl. of باب without its being used for conformity with another word; (M;) and this is extr.; (M, K;) for باب is of the measure فَعَلٌ , and a word of this measure has not a pl. of the measure أَفْعِلَةٌ [by rule]. (M.) You say, بَابٌ الدَّارِ [The door of the house]; and بَابُ البَيْتِ [the door of the house, and of the chamber, and of the tent]; (Msb;) and بَابُ البَلَدِ [the gate of the town or city]. (The Lexicons &c. passim.) And Bishr Ibn-Abee-Házim assigns a باب to a grave; calling the latter a بَيْت . (M.) It is also applied to an opening, or a channel, made for water, to irrigate seed-produce: pl. أَبْوَابٌ . (Mgh.) [And in Egypt, it is applied also to A sepulchral chamber, grotto, or cave, hewn in a mountain; from the Coptic : pl. بِيبَانٌ only.] هَتَّاكُ أَخْبِيَةٍ وَ لَّاجُ أَبْوِبَةٍ Hence, i. e. in a secondary application, the primary signification being “ a place of entrance, ” it is used as meaning A means of access, or of attainment, to a thing: (B, Kull, TK:) as in the saying, هٰذَا العِلْمُ بَابٌ إِلَى عِلْمِ كَذَا This science is a means of attainment to such a science. (B, TK.) [And hence, An expedient, a trick, a stratagem, or a process, by which something is to be effected pl. أَبْوَابٌ : as in أَبْوَابُ الحَرْبِ the expedients. &c. of war, battle, or fight; and بَابٌ مِنَ النُّجُومِ a process of the science of the stars, meaning astrology or astronomy; and بَابٌ مِنَ السِّحْرِ a process of enchantment; see an ex. voce سِحْرٌ . Compare Matt. xvi. 18, , probably meaning “ the stratagems of Hell shall not prevail against it. ”] [Also A mode, kind, sort, class, or category.] Suweyd Ibn-Kuráa uses metaphorically the pl. أَبْوَاب in relation to rhymes; saying, 1 [I gave utterance to the various kinds of rhymes as though I were driving with them a herd of wild animals desirous of the males, or of their wonted places of pasture]. (M, L.) [You say also, هُوَ مِنْ هٰذَا البَابِ It is of this mode, kind, sort, class, or category: a phrase of frequent occurrence in lexicons &c. See also بَابَةٌ .] أَتَيْتُ بِأَبْوَابِ القَوَافِى كَأَنَّمَا | أَذُودُ بِهَا سِرْبًا مِنَ الوَحْشِ نُزَّعَا [Also A chapter; and sometimes a section, or subdivision, of a chapter; of a book or writing;] conventionally, a piece consisting of words relating to matters of one kind; and sometimes, to matters of one species: (Kull:) pl. أَبْوَابٌ . (A.) See also بَابَةٌ . [Also A head, or class of items or articles, in an account, or a reckoning; as in the saying,] بَيَّنْتُ لَهُ حِسَابَهُ بَابًا بَابًا [I explained, or made clear, to him his account, or reckoning, head by head, or each class of items or articles by itself]; a phrase mentioned by Sb: (M:) [or, sometimes,] بَابٌ (M, K) and بَابَةٌ (T, M, K) are used in relation to حُدُود [which here means the punishments so termed], and to an account, or a reckoning, (T, M, K,) and the like, (T, M,) as signifying the extreme term or limit; syn. غَايَةٌ ; (M, K;) but IDrd hesitated respecting this, and therefore it is not mentioned in the S. (TA.)