Core sense — small in the ear; slender and even in the joints; acute in mindgenerated
1small in the ear, said of a woman—صَمْعَآءُ
Small in the ear; said of men and of others. [See also form 1.]
The feminine is used in this sense of a woman and of other than a woman, so of a she-goat; I'Ab held such a one allowable as a victim for sacrifice.
Or, said of a she-goat whose ear is like that of the gazelle, between what is termed سَكَّآء and what is termed أَذْنَآء.
Az: said of a ewe or she-goat whose ear is little and clinging to the head.
[The plural is صُمْعٌ.]
1.1
Hence, the ostrich; because of the smallness of his ear and its clinging to his head.
1.2
And the feminine, said of an ear: small, or little, and contracted towards the head.
1.3a woman slender in the ankle-joints—صَمْعَآءُ الكَعْبَيْنِ
Also, the masculine, applied to a كَعْب [as meaning a joint of the bones, and particularly an ankle-joint, and an ankle-bone, and also a joint, or knot, of a cane or reed]: small, or slender, and even.
كَبْعَان means the ankle-joints or ankle-bones.
dogs small in the joints of the legs—صُمْعُ الكُعُوبِ
كعوب here apparently means the joints of the legs, the tarsal and other joints.
So too the legs of a wild bull: slender, not swollen, in the كُعُوب, even and smooth in them.
En-Nábighah Edh-Dhubyánee says, describing dogs and a wild bull: [And he (the owner of the dogs) has dispersed them (the dogs) against him; and legs (قَوَائِمُ being understood) slender and even and smooth in the joints, free from the disease that would make them unsteady, (such being here meant by الحَرَد, which properly applies to camels,) have been strong to bear him.]
shāhidفَبَثَّهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ وَٱسْتَمَرَّ بِهِصُمْعُ الكُعُوبِ بَرِيْآتٌ مِنَ الحَرَدِ
a spear-shaft even and smooth in the knots—قَنَاةٌ صَمْعَآءُ الكُعُوبِ
a spear pointed at its lower knot—رُمْحٌ أَصْمَعُ الكَعْبِ
Or, as some say, it means compact in the interior, hard, and slender in the knots.
كعب apparently means the knot that forms the spear's lower extremity.
1.4a feather slender in the shaft—أَصْمَعُ
عَسِيب means the shaft.
العَسِيبُ اللَّطِيفُ in the K is a mistake for اللَّطِيفُ العَسِيبِ, or the best of feathers, such as is used for feathering an arrow of the kind called ظُهَار [q. v.].
The plural is صُمْعَانٌ, which is said to mean the best of the feathers of a bird.
1.5saturated with moisture, and compact, said of a plant—صَمْعَآءُ
Applied to a plant, it means having fruit come forth that has not yet broken open; or, as some say, saturated with moisture, and compact.
This latter meaning is given for a plant such as is termed بَقْلَة.
And the feminine, applied to the plant called بُهْمَى, that has risen high and reached its complete growth before the bursting open of its pericarps. [And so as applied to any plant: see بُسْرٌ.]
Or, applied to a plant: smooth and round and slender; or any calyx that has not yet opened.
And applied to the plant called بهمى whose calyxes have not opened and whose awn has not yet appeared; or, so applied, fresh, or juicy, and not yet burst open; or having its fruit, or produce, coming forth upon its upper part.
IAar: so applied, it is an intensive adjective, [apparently meaning full-grown and flourishing,] like جَعْدٌ applied to the صِلِّيَان and أَسْحَمُ applied to the نَصِىّ.
The plural is صُمْعٌ.
1.6vigilant, and sharp, or acute, in mind—أَصْمَعُ القَلْبِ
an intelligent and acute mind—قَلْبٌ أَصْمَعُ
the sharp, or acute, and vigilant mind, and resolute judgment—الأَصْمَعَانِ
The word for the judgment is given as عَازِم, resolute, and also as حَازِم, prudent, discreet, intelligent, or firm and sound.
As: أَصْمَعُ, applied to the mind and to judgment or opinion, means عَازِمٌ [explained above].
a man of acute intelligence—رَجُلٌ أَصْمَعُ القَلْبِ
[See also صَمِعٌ.]
an effective resolution, or determination—عَزْمَةٌ صَمْعَآءُ
1.7a sharp sword—أَصْمَعُ
[It is said that] this meaning and the two that follow are related on the authority of El-Muärrij; but Az says that all that has been related from him belongs to what is not to be regarded unless the transmission from him proves to be correct.
1.8
And one that ascends, or rises by degrees, to the most elevated of places.
1.9
And the same as سَادِرٌ [which means in a state of confusion or perplexity, and unable to see his right course; see that word].
1.10the side of the upper part of the neck, and the place of the ear—الصَّمْعَآءُ
This is said to be its meaning as used in a verse of Abu-n-Nejm describing a male ostrich.
سَالِفَة here means the side of the upper part of the neck.
Show Lane's original text
The small in the ear; (S, Mgh, O, K, TA;) of men and of others: (TA:) [see also 1:] fem. صَمْعَآءُ ; (S, Mgh, O, K, TA;) applied in this sense to a woman, and to other than woman; (TA;) thus to a she-goat; and such I'Ab held to be allowable as a victim for sacrifice; (O, TA;) or, applied to a she-goat, whose ear is like that of the gazelle, between such as is termed سَكَّآء and such as is termed أَذْنَآء ; or, accord. to Az, applied to a ewe or she-goat, whose ear is little, and cleaving to the head: (TA:) [pl. صُمْعٌ .] Hence, The ostrich; because of the smallness of his ear, and its cleaving to his head. (TA.) And the fem., applied to an ear, Small, or little, and contracted towards the head. (O, K.) Also, the masc., applied to a كَعْب [as meaning a joint of the bones, and particularly an anklejoint, and an ankle-bone, and also a joint, or knot, of a cane or reed], Small, or slender, and even. (O, K.) A woman is said to be صَمْعَآءُ الكَعْبَيْنِ Small, or slender, in the كَبْعَان [i. e. ankle-joints or ankle-bones]. (TA.) And dogs are said to be صُمْعُ الكُعُوبِ i. e. Small in the كعوب [app. meaning joints of the legs, i. e. tarsal and other joints]: (S, K:) so too the legs of a wild bull, meaning slender, not swollen, in the كُعُوب ; even and smooth therein; thus in the saying of En-Nábighah Edh-Dhubyánee, describing dogs and a [wild] bull: 1 [And he (the owner of the dogs) has dispersed them (the dogs) against him; and legs ( قَوَائِمُ being understood) slender and even and smooth in the joints, free from the disease that would render them unsteady, (such being here meant by الحَرَد , which is properly in camels,) have been strong to bear him.] (L, TA. [See also De Sacy's Chrest. Arabe, sec. ed., ii. 438-9.]) You say also قَنَاةٌ صَمْعَآءُ الكُعُوبِ i. e. [A spear-shaft] even and smooth [in the knots, or joints]: or, as some say, compact in the interior, hard, and slender in the knots. (TA.) And رُمْحٌ أَصْمَعُ الكَعْبِ i. e. A spear pointed in the كعب [app. meaning the knot that forms its lower extremity]. (TA.) فَبَثَّهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ وَٱسْتَمَرَّ بِهِ | صُمْعُ الكُعُوبِ بَرِيْآتٌ مِنَ الحَرَدِ أَصْمَعُ applied to a feather means Slender in the عَسِيب [or shaft]: (O, TA:) العَسِيبُ اللَّطِيفُ in the K is a mistake for اللَّطِيفُ العَسِيبِ : (TA:) or the best of feathers; (K, TA;) such as is used for feathering an arrow, of the kind called ظُهَار [q. v.]: (TA:) pl. صُمْعَانٌ , (O, K,) which is said to mean the best of the feathers of a bird. (O.) Applied to a plant, it means Having fruit come forth that has not yet broken open: (O, K:) or, as some say, saturated with moisture, and compact: and صَمْعَآءُ is said to have this latter meaning applied to a plant such as is termed بَقْلَة : (TA:) and the same, (i. e. the fem.,) applied to the plant called بُهْمَى , that has risen high, (Az, S, O, K,) and attained its complete growth, (Az, O, TA,) before the bursting open of its pericarps: (S, O, K:) [and so as applied to any plant: (see بُسْرٌ :)] or, applied to a plant, smooth and round and slender: (O, K:) or any calyx ( بُرْعُومَة ) that has not yet opened: (AHn, O, K:) and, applied to the plant called بهمى , of which the calyxes have not opened, and the awn has not yet appeared: (O:) or, thus applied, fresh, or juicy, and not yet burst open: or having its fruit, or produce, coming forth upon its upper part: accord. to IAar, thus applied, it is an intensive epithet, [app. meaning full-grown and flourishing,] like جَعْدٌ applied to the صِلِّيَان , and أَسْحَمُ applied to the نَصِىّ : (TA:) the pl. is صُمْعٌ . (O, K.) أَصْمَعُ القَلْبِ means Vigilant, and sharp, or acute, in mind: (S, O, K:) and قَلْبٌ أَصْمَعُ an intelligent and acute mind: (TA:) and الأَصْمَعَانِ the sharp, or acute, (S, O, K,) and vigilant (K) mind, (S, O, K,) and the resolute, ( عَازِم , S, and so in the L,) or prudent, or discreet, or intelligent, or firm and sound, ( حَازِم , O, K,) judgment, or opinion: (S, O, K:) accord. to As, أَصْمَعُ applied to the mind ( فُؤَاد ), and to judgment, or opinion, means عَازِمٌ [expl. above]: and رَجُلٌ أَصْمَعُ القَلْبِ means a man of acute intelligence. (TA.) [See also صَمِعٌ .] And one says also عَزْمَةٌ صَمْعَآءُ i. e. An effective resolution, or determination. (TA.) [It is said that] أَصْمَعُ signifies also A sharp sword: (O, K:) this and the next two significations are related as on the authority of El-Muärrij; but Az says that all that has been related as from him is of the things that are not to be regarded unless the transmission from him prove to be correct. (TA.) And One that ascends, or rises by degrees, to the most elevated of places. (O, K.) And i. q. سَادِرٌ [which means In a state of confusion or perplexity, and unable to see his right course: &c.: see this latter word]. (O, K.) And الصَّمْعَآءُ also signifies The سَالِفَة [meaning the side of the upper part of the neck], (O, K,) and the place of the ear: (O:) this is said to be its meaning as used in a verse of Abu-n-Nejm, (O, TA,) describing a male ostrich. (TA.)