Core sense — a sign, or mark, agreed on; the two stars of Aries; the refuse of camelsgenerated
1the signs of the resurrection, or of its time—أَشْرَاطُ السَّاعَةِ
A sign, token, or mark which men appoint between themselves; also شَرْطٌ. Plural of the first, أَشْرَاطٌ.
Mentioned in the Qur’ān [47:20]. El-Khaṭṭābee: or the small events before it, which men deny. Or the means leading to it, apart from its main circumstances and from the event itself.
1.1the two stars [a and b] which are the two horns of Aries—الشَّرَطَانِ
The brighter of them is called النَّاطِحُ [and the other, النَّطْحُ]; this is the First Mansion of the Moon.
To the north of them is a small star which some of the Arabs count with those two, saying that this mansion consists of three stars, and calling them الأَشْرَاطُ.
IAar mentions an instance of the singular, الشَّرَطُ, but the dual is more approved and better known. The two stars mentioned above are the first asterism of the spring. [See مَنَازِلُ القَمَرِ in the article نزل.]
Ḥassān Ibn-Thābit says:
shāhidفِى نَدَامَى بِيضِ الوُجُوهِ كِرَامٍنُبِّهُوا بَعْدَ هَجْعَةِ الأَشْرَاطِ
meaning [Among fair-faced, generous cup-companions, roused from sleep after] the setting of the اشراط, though another meaning, given below, has been assigned to the last word.
1.2figurative · مجاز — inferredthe beginning of a thing—شَرَطٌ
Ibn-ʿAbbād: also مِشْرَاطٌ.
Plural of the first, أَشْرَاطٌ, which is applied to the beginnings of any event that happens, because the شَرَطَان are the first asterism of the spring.
The plural of مشراط in the sense explained here is مَشَارِيطُ.
Hence, according to some, أَشْرَاطُ السَّاعَةِ, explained above.
2[Sheep, or goats, are the refuse, or meanest sort, of beasts that people possess]—الغَنَمُ أَشْرَاطُ المَالِ
The refuse of camels or the like, or of sheep or goats — such as those galled in the back, the emaciated, the young, and the bad. Used alike as singular and plural and as masculine and feminine.
Applied particularly to the young of camels, as a plural and as a singular; also to a she-camel and to a he-camel; and to such camels as are brought, or driven, from one place to another for sale, like the aged she-camel and the camel galled in the back.
Also the same word, not شَرْطٌ as in the K, [without restriction of its application,] low, base, vile, or mean; and so أَشْرَطُ, plural أَشْرَاطٌ, plural of the plural أَشَارِيطُ.
شَرَطٌ is also applied to men: شَرَطُ النَّاسِ means the lowest, basest, or meanest sort of people.
In the verse of Ḥassān Ibn-Thābit cited above, الأَشْرَاط is said to mean the guards, or watchmen, and the lowest sort of people; [so that هَجْعَة must then be understood as meaning “a light sleep in the first part of the night”;] but the correct meaning is the one explained before.
2.1the noble, eminent, or honourable sort of men—أَشْرَاطٌ
Yaakoob: so the word has two opposite meanings.
3
And a small water-course coming from a space of ten cubits: or what flows from even tracts of ground into the larger water-courses called شِعَاب.
Show Lane's original text
A sign, token, or mark, (S, Msb, K,) which men appoint between them; (TA;) as also شَرْطٌ : (TA:) pl. of the former, أَشْرَاطٌ . (Msb, K.) And hence, (Msb,) أَشْرَاطُ السَّاعَةِ The signs of the resurrection, or of the time thereof; (S, Msb, TA;) mentioned in the Kur [xlvii. 20]: or the small events prior thereto, which men deny: (El-Khattábee:) or the means thereof, exclusive of the main circumstances thereof, and of the event itself. (TA.) [Hence also,] الشَّرَطَانِ The two stars [a and b] which are the two horns of Aries; (S, K, Kzw;) the brighter whereof is called النَّاطِحُ ; (Kzw;) [and the other, النَّطْحُ ;] the First Mansion of the Moon: (Kzw:) to- wards the north of them is a small star which some of the Arabs reckon with those two, saying that it (namely this mansion, K) consists of three stars, and calling them الأَشْرَاطُ : (S, K:) IAar mentions an instance of the use of the sing., الشَّرَطُ ; but the dual is more approved, and more commonly known: (TA:) the two stars above mentioned are the first asterism of the spring. (ISd, Z.) [See مَنَازِلُ القَمَرِ , in art. نزل .] Hassán Ibn-Thábit says, 1 meaning [Among fair-faced, generous cup-companions, roused from sleep after] the setting of the اشراط : though another meaning, which see below, has been assigned to the last word. (Sgh.) فِى نَدَامَى بِيضِ الوُجُوهِ كِرَامٍ | نُبِّهُوا بَعْدَ هَجْعَةِ الأَشْرَاطِ And hence, (ISd, Z,) شَرَطٌ also signifies The beginning of a thing; (ISd, * Z, * K;) as also مِشْرَاطٌ : (Ibn-'Abbád, K:) pl. of the former, أَشْرَاطٌ , which is applied to the beginnings of any event that happens because the شَرَطَان are the first asterism of the spring: (ISd, Z:) the pl. of مشراط in the sense here expl. is مَشَارِيطُ . (K.) Hence, accord. to some, أَشْرَاطُ السَّاعَةِ , expl. above. (TA.) The refuse, (S, Msb, K, TA,) such as the galled in the back, and the emaciated, (TA,) and the young, (K,) and the bad, (A'Obeyd,) of camels or the like, (S, K,) or of goats, (Msb,) or of goats also: (S:) used alike as sing. and pl. and masc. and fem.: and applied particularly to the young of camels, as a pl. and as a sing.: also, to a she-camel and to a he-camel: and to such, of camels, as is brought, or driven, from one place to another for sale; as the aged she-camel, and the camel that is galled in the back: (TA:) also the same, not شَرْطٌ as in the K, [without restriction of its application,] low, base, vile, or mean; (K, * TA;) and so أَشْرَطُ : (TA:) pl. أَشْرَاطٌ , (S, K,) and pl. pl. أَشَارِيطُ . (S,* TA.) You say, الغَنَمُ أَشْرَاطُ المَالِ [Sheep, or goats, are the refuse, or meanest sort, of beasts that people possess]. (S.) And شَرَطٌ is also applied to men; (S, TA;) شَرَطُ النَّاسِ signifying The refuse, or lowest or basest or meanest sort, pf mankind or people. (TA.) In the verse of Hassán Ibn-Thábit cited above, الأَشْرَاط is said to mean The guards, or watchmen, and the lowest or basest or meanest sort of people; (S, Sgh;) [so that هَجْعَة must be understood in the sense of “ a light sleep in the first part of the night; ”] but the correct meaning is that expl. before. (Sgh.) Also أَشْرَاطٌ , The noble, eminent, or honourable, sort of men: thus the word has two contr. significations. (Yaakoob, S, K.) And A small water-course coming from a space of ten cubits: (AHn, O, K:) or what flows from even tracts of ground into the [larger water-courses called] شِعَاب . (TA.)