Core sense — the brink, edge, or extremity of a thing; a little remaining of somethinggenerated
1figurative · مجازand you were on the brink of a pit of the fire of Hell, and He saved you from it—وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٌ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا
The point or extremity, verge, brink, or edge, of anything; like شَفَةٌ for شَفَا الحُفْرَةِ. (Ksh on 3:99)
Or شَفَا البِئْرِ and شَفَتُهَا both mean the same, that is, حَرْفُهَا, or طَرَفُهَا; but the final و in the first is changed into ا, and in the second [according to those who hold شَفَةٌ to be originally شَفْوَةٌ] it is dropped; شَفًا being originally شَفَوٌ. (Ksh)
But شَفًا generally has the meaning explained above, and شَفَةٌ almost always means the “lip” of a human being.
The dual is شَفَوَانِ; this is known, as Akh says, from the fact that إِمَالَة in the word شَفًا is not allowable. The plural is أَشْفَآءٌ.
Said in the Qur'ān 3:99.
he is on the brink of destruction—هُوَ عَلَى شَفَا الهَلَاكِ
1.1figurative · مجاز — inferredthere has not remained of him, or of it, more than a little—مَا بَقِىَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا شَفًا
Also: a little; a small part or portion; somewhat. Somewhat remaining of the moon when near the change, of the sight, of the day, and the like, as in the T. (K, TA; الهَلاك in the CK is wrongly put for الهِلَال.)
Said of a man when he is dying, of the moon at [the last period of the month called] its مُحَاق, and of the sun at its setting; and مِنْهَا when said of the sun.
there has not remained of his life more than a little—مِنَ العُمُرِ
I came to him when there was little remaining of the light of the sun—أَتَيْتُهُ بِشَفًا مِنْ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ
he was, or became, in the last part of the night—صَارَ فِى شَفَا القَمَرِ
El-ʿAjjāj says: [Many an elevated place of observation, high to one who ascends it, I have ascended] when the sun had set, or when there was somewhat of it remaining.
shāhidأَشْرَفْتُهُ بِلَا شَفًا أَوْ بِشَفَاوَمِرْبَأٍ عَالٍ لِمَنٌ تَشَرَّفَا
were it not for His forbidding it, none would need to resort to fornication, except a few men—فَلَوْ لَا نَهْيُهُ عَنْهَا مَا ٱحْتَاجَ إِلَى الزِّنَا إِلَّا شَفًا
Said in a tradition, in relation to [the temporary marriage termed] المُتْعَة; this is how the T explains it. Or, according to ʿAtā, it means: but would be on the brink of it, without falling into it, شَفًا being used in place of the maṣdar إِشْفَآء; so says IAth, as from Az.
Show Lane's original text
The point or extremity, verge, brink, or edge, of anything; (S, Msb, K, &c.;) like شَفَةٌ ; for شَفَا الحُفْرَةِ (Ksh in iii. 99) or شَفَا البِئْرِ (Bd ibid.) and شَفَتُهَا both signify the same, (Ksh, Bd,) i. e. حَرْفُهَا (Ksh) or طَرَفُهَا ; (Bd;) but the final و in the former is changed into ا , and in the latter [accord. to those who hold شَفَةٌ to be originally شَفْوَةٌ ] it is elided; (Ksh, Bd;) شَفًا being originally شَفَوٌ : (Bd:) [but شَفًا generally signifies as expl. above; and شَفَةٌ almost always signifies the “ lip ” of a human being:] the dual is شَفَوَانِ ; this being known, as Akh says, by the fact that إِمَالَة in the word شَفًا is not allowable: (S:) and the pl. is أَشْفَآءٌ . (TA.) It is said in the Kur [iii. 99], وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٌ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا [And ye were on the verge, or brink, of a pit of the fire of Hell, and He saved, or rescued, you from it]. (S.) And one says, هُوَ عَلَى شَفَا الهَلَاكِ [He is on the brink of destruction]. (TA.) Also A little; (S, A, K, TA;) a small part, or portion; somewhat; (A, TA;) somewhat remaining of the moon when near the change, (K, TA, [ الهَلاك in the CK is erroneously put for الهِلَال ,]) and of the sight ( البَصَر ), and of the day, and the like, as in the T. (TA.) One says of a man on the occasion of his dying, and of the moon at [the last period of the month called] its مُحَاق , and of the sun at its setting, (S,) مَا بَقِىَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا شَفًا [and مِنْهَا when said of the sun] There has not remained of him, or it, save a little: (S, K: *) and [in like manner] مِنَ العُمُرِ [of life]. (S.) And one says, أَتَيْتُهُ بِشَفًا مِنْ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ [I came to him in a time when there was little remaining of the light of the sun]. (TA.) El-'Ajjáj says, 1 meaning [Many an elevated place of observation, high to him who ascends it, I have ascended] when the sun had set or when there was somewhat of it remaining. (S.) One says also, صَارَ فِى شَفَا القَمَرِ meaning He was, or became, in the last part of the night. (TA.) And it is said in a trad., (in relation to [the temporary marriage termed] المُتْعَة ,) فَلَوْ لَا نَهْيُهُ عَنْهَا مَا ٱحْتَاجَ إِلَى الزِّنَا إِلَّا شَفًا , accord. to the T meaning [Were it not for his (i. e. God's) forbidding it, none would need having recourse to fornication,] save a small number of men: (T, TA:) or, accord. to 'Atà, it means, but would be on the brink thereof, without falling into it; شَفًا being thus used in the place of the inf. n. إِشْفَآء : so says IAth, as from Az. (TA.) أَشْرَفْتُهُ بِلَا شَفًا أَوْ بِشَفَا | وَمِرْبَأٍ عَالٍ لِمَنٌ تَشَرَّفَا