Core sense — a frog; a toad; the horny frog of a horse's hoofgenerated
1the frog; and apparently also the water-toad—ضَفْدَعٌ
Also ضُفْدَعٌ and ضِفْدَعٌ, this last said by some, but very rare, or rejected, and disallowed by Kh and a number of others.
According to Kh and others, there are only four words of the measure فِعْلَلٌ in the language: دِرْهَمٌ, هِجْرَعٌ, هِبْلَعٌ, and the proper name قِلْعَمٌ.
A reptile of the rivers, generated in the river; its flesh, cooked with olive-oil, is [said to be] an antidote to the poison of venomous creatures when put upon the place of the sting or bite.
Also a reptile of the land, [apparently the land-toad,] that lives, or grows, in caverns and caves. Its fat is [said to be] wonderful for the extraction of teeth without effort, and of its skin, tanned, the skull-cap that renders invisible ( طَاقِيَّةُ الإِخْفَآءِ [a vulgar term]) is made, as the performers of sleight-of-hand say; and the flesh of this species is said to be poisonous.
The feminine, or ism waḥda, is with ة, and the plural is ضَفَادِعُ [and ضَفَادٍ in the Msb and K, ضَفَادِى in the O; correctly, الضَّفَادِى is said to be a variant of الضَّفَادِعُ, like الثَّعَالِى and الأَرَانِى of الثَّعَالِبُ and الأَرَانِبُ].
1.1figurative · مجاز — inferredhe was, or became, hungry—نَقَّتْ ضَفَادِعُ بَطْنِهِ
Literally, the frogs of his belly croaked; like نَقَّتْ عَصَافِيرُ بَطْنِهِ.
1.2figurative · مجاز — inferredthe bright star on the mouth of Piscis Australis—الضِّفْدِعُ الأَوَّلُ
Also called فَمُ الحُوتِ.
the star on the southern fork of the tail of Cetus—الضِّفْدِعُ الثَّانِى
1.3figurative · مجاز — inferreda certain bone [or horny substance, which we, in like manner, call “ the frog, ”] in the interior of the horse's hoof, in its sole—الضِّفْدِعُ
Thus only. [See also نَسْرٌ.]
Show Lane's original text
(S, O, Msb, K) and ضَفْدَعٌ and ضُفْدَعٌ (K) and ضِفْدَعٌ , (S, O, Msb, K,) this last said by some, (S, O, Msb,) but most rare, or rejected, (K,) disallowed by Kh and a number of others, (Msb,) [for] accord. to Kh [and others] there are only four words of the measure فِعْلَلٌ in the language, which are دِرْهَمٌ and هِجْرَعٌ and هِبْلَعٌ and the proper name قِلْعَمٌ , (S, O,) [The frog; and app. also the water-toad;] a certain reptile ( دَابَّة ) of the rivers, (K, TA,) generated in the river, (TA,) the flesh of which, cooked with oliveoil, is [said to be] an antidote to the poison of venomous creatures, (K, TA,) when put upon the place of the sting, or bite: (TA:) and [a certain reptile] of the land, (K, TA,) [app. the landtoad,] that lives, or grows, in caverns and caves, (TA,) the fat of which is [said to be] wonderful for the extraction of teeth (K, TA) without fatigue, and of the skin of which, tanned, the skull-cap that renders invisible ( طَاقِيَّةُ الإِخْفَآءِ [a vulgar term]) is made, as is said by the performers of legerdemain; and the flesh of this species is said to be poisonous: (TA;) the fem., (S, O, Msb,) or the n. un., (K,) is with ة : and the pl. is ضَفَادِعُ (S, O, Msb, K) [and ضَفَادٍ ; in the Msb and K, ضَفَادِى ; in the O, correctly, الضَّفَادِى is said to be a var. of الضَّفَادِعُ , like الثَّعَالِى and الأَرَانِى of الثَّعَالِبُ and الأَرَانِبُ ]. نَقَّتْ ضَفَادِعُ بَطْنِهِ [lit. The frogs of his belly croaked] means he was, or became, hungry; (O, K;) like نَقَّتْ عَصَافِيرُ بَطْنِهِ . (O.) الضِّفْدِعُ الأَوَّلُ is a name of The bright star [ ] on the mouth of Piscis Australis; (Kzw, Descr. of Aquarius;) also called فَمُ الحُوتِ : (Idem, Descr. of Piscis Australis:) and الضِّفْدِعُ الثَّانِى is the name of The star on the southern fork of the tail of Cetus. (Idem.) And الضِّفْدِعُ , (O, K,) thus only, (TA,) A certain bone [or horny substance, which we, in like manner, call “ the frog, ”] in the interior of the horse's hoof, (O, K,) in the sole thereof. (O.) [See also نَسْرٌ .]