Core sense — a woman's camel-vehicle with a woman in it; a woman; a camel ridden by womengenerated
1
A هَوْدَج [or woman's camel-vehicle] with a woman in it, or whether there is a woman in it or not; this is [said to be] the primary meaning.
Plural ظَعَائِنُ, ظُعُنٌ, and ظُعْنٌ, and [plural of paucity] أَظْعَانٌ; plural of the plural ظُعُنَاتٌ.
But see, below, a statement of AZ about the plural ظُعُنٌ.
1.1
A woman, whether in a هَوْدَج or elsewhere; the word is used in the sense of مَظْعُونَةٌ [for مَظْعُونٌ بِهَا], because her husband journeys with her.
Or a man's wife, because she journeys with her husband.
Or a woman only as long as she is in the هودج; when not in it she is not called by this name.
Or that is the primary meaning, and it was then applied to her even while in her tent, because she might become مَظْعُونَة [i.e. مَظْعُون بِهَا].
It is mostly applied to a woman riding [in a هودج]; then to a هودج without a woman in it; and to a woman without a هودج.
'Amr Ibn-Kulthoom says: [Stop before parting, woman in the camel-vehicle: we will tell you the real truth about our case, and you shall tell us about your own]
shāhidقِفِى قَبْلَ التَّفَرُّقِ يَا ظَعِينَانُخَبِّرْكِ اليَقِينَ وَتُخْبِرِينَا
يَا ظَعِينَا is for يَا ظَعِينَةُ.
1.2[There is no poor-rate in the case of] the camel upon which one journeys—لَيْسَ فِى جَمَلٍ ظَعِينَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ
According to Lth: a camel that is ridden by women, [like ظَعُونٌ]; and applied to a woman because she rides it.
Or, according to IAmb, a camel upon which one journeys; hence this tradition, if the phrase is as given here.
But if it is فِى جَمَلِ ظَعِينَةٍ, the last word means a woman.
AZ says that one should not say حُمُولٌ or ظُعُنٌ except as meaning the camels on which are هَوَادِج, whether there are women in them or not.
Show Lane's original text
A هَوْدَج [or woman's camel-vehicle] (S, Mgh, Msb, K, TA) in which is a woman, (TA,) or whether there be in it a woman or not: (S, Msb, K, TA:) this is [said to be] the primary signification: (Mgh:) pl. ظَعَائِنُ and ظُعُنٌ (S, Mgh, Msb, K) and ظُعْنٌ (S, K) and [pl. of pauc.] أَظْعَانٌ (S, Mgh, K) and pl. pl. ظُعُنَاتٌ . (TA. [But see, in what follows, an assertion of AZ respecting the pl. ظُعُنٌ .]) And A woman, (ISk, Mgh, Msb, TA;) whether in a هَوْدَج or elsewhere; (ISk, TA;) the word being used in the sense of مَظْعُونَةٌ [for مَظْعُونٌ بِهَا ]; because her husband journeys ( يَظْعَنُ ) with her: (Msb:) or a man's wife; because she journeys with her husband: (TA:) or a woman as long as she is in the هودج ; (S, Msb, K;) when not in it she is not thus called: (S:) or this is the primary meaning: then it was applied to her though in her tent, because she might become مَظْعُونَة [i. e. مَظْعُون بِهَا ]: (Msb:) it is mostly applied to a woman riding [in a هودج ]: then, to a هودج without a woman: and to a woman without a هودج . (TA.) 'Amr Ibn-Kulthoom says, 1 [Pause thou before separation, O woman in the camel-vehicle: we will inform thee of the real truth respecting our case, and thou shalt inform us respecting thy case]: (S:) يَا ظَعِينَا is for يَا ظَعِينَةُ . (EM p. 185.) قِفِى قَبْلَ التَّفَرُّقِ يَا ظَعِينَا | نُخَبِّرْكِ اليَقِينَ وَتُخْبِرِينَا And, accord. to Lth, A camel that is ridden by women: [like ظَعُونٌ :] and applied to signify a woman because she rides it: or, accord. to IAmb, a camel upon which one journeys: and hence the trad., لَيْسَ فِى جَمَلٍ ظَعِينَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ i. e. [There is no poor-rate in the case of] the camel upon which one journeys; if the phrase be thus: but if it be فِى جَمَلِ ظَعِينَةٍ , by the last word is meant a woman: (TA:) AZ says, one should not say حُمُولٌ nor ظُعُنٌ except as meaning the camels upon which are هَوَادِج , whether there be in them women or not. (S.)