Core sense — the back; camels for riding or carrying burdens; elevated groundgenerated
1
The back; opposite of بَطْنٌ. In a man, from the hinder part of the كَاهِل [or base of the neck] to the nearest part of the buttocks, where it ends. In a camel, the part containing six vertebrae, on the right and left of which are the two portions of flesh and sinew called the مَتْنَانِ. Masculine in gender.
Plural, of paucity, أَظْهُرٌ; of multitude, ظُهُورٌ and ظُهْرَانٌ.
1.1figurative · مجازa man having a small household to maintain—رَجُلٌ خَفِيفُ الظَّهْرِ
having a large household to maintain—ثَقِيلُ الظَّهْرِ
1.2you are to me like the back of my mother—أَنْت عَلَىَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّى
Said by a man to his wife. [This has been explained above: see form 3.]
1.3figurative · مجازhe stole what was behind him—عَدَا فِى ظَهْرِهِ
Or: he acted wrongfully in respect of what was behind him; for لِصٌّ عَادِى ظَهْرٍ is explained by the words عَدَا فِى ظَهْرٍ فَسَرَقَهُ, [so that it seems to mean a thief who has acted wrongfully in respect of what was behind one, and stolen it].
1.4adversaries who come to one from behind his back, in war or fight—أَقْرَانُ الظَّهْرِ
adversaries who come to one from behind his back, in war or fight—الظُّهُورِ
In the copies of the K, يُحِبُّونَكَ is wrongly put for يَجِيؤُونَكَ.
such a one is an adversary who comes to one from behind, unknown—فُلَانٌ قِرْنُ الظَّهْرِ
1.5he slew him unexpectedly; he assassinated him—قَتَلَهُ ظَهْرًا
Synonymous with غِيلَةٌ.
1.6figurative · مجازhe cast me off—جَعَلَنِى بِظَهْرٍ
I cast his want behind my back—جَعَلتُ حَاجَتَهُ بِظَهْرٍ
جَعَلَهَا ظِهْرِيَّةً means the same.
he held it in contempt—اِتَّخَذَهَا ظِهْرِيًّا
Also ظِهْرِيَّةً; or it is the first of these two phrases that has this meaning. It is as though ظهريّا were an irregular relative noun from ظَهْرٌ.
Or اِتَّخَذَهُ ظِهْرِيًّا means he neglected, or forgot, him, as in the Qur'ān 11:94, or it, namely what was said.
do not forget, or neglect, my want—لَا تَجْعَلْ حَاجَتِى بِظَهْرٍ
جَعَلَهُ ظِهْرِيًّا means he forgot it, as does جعله بِظَهْرٍ.
I cared nothing for this thing—جَعَلْتُ هٰذَا الأَمْرَ بِظَهْرٍ
Also رَمَيْتُهُ بِظَهْرٍ.
Qur’ān 11:92 approximate — somewhere between 11:82 and 11:113 Lane cites “Kur xi. 94”
Qur’ān 11:92 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَهْطِىٓ أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱتَّخَذْتُمُوهُ وَرَآءَكُمْ ظِهْرِيًّا ۖ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌHe said: "O my people! is then my family of more consideration with you than Allah? For ye cast Him away behind your backs (with contempt). But verily my Lord encompasseth on all sides all that ye do!Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
1.7figurative · مجاز — inferredsuch a one is of those who do not belong to us—فُلَانٌ مِنْ وَلَدِ الظَّهْرِ
Or: of those to whom no regard is paid; or of those who are held in contempt, and to whose ties of relationship no regard is paid.
1.8figurative · مجازhe is his cousin on the father's side, distantly related—هُوَ ٱبْنُ عَمِّهِ ظَهْرًا
Opposite of دِنْيًا [and لَحًّا].
1.9he receded, retired, or retreated—رَجَعَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ
K, in the article ثبجر.
1.10figurative · مجازhe is making his abode in the midst of them, in the main body of them—هُوَ نَازِلٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْهِمْ
he is making his abode in the midst of them, in the main body of them—بين ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ
In this phrase the ا and ن are said by some to be added for emphasis; one should not say ظَهْرَانِيهِمْ or بين أَظْهُرِهِمْ.
it is in the midst, or main part, of another thing—هُوَ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْهِ
Originally it meant: he is making his abode among them in order to seek their aid and to lean upon them, as though the back of one of them were before him and that of another behind him, so that he was defended either way. Afterwards, through frequent use, it came to be used of abiding among a people generally.
Also بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِ, said of anything.
1.11figurative · مجازI met him during the day, or the two days, or the three days, or the days—لَقِيتُهُ بَيْنَ الظَّهْرَيْنِ
Also بَيْنَ الظَّهْرَانَيْنِ. From the phrase just before it.
I came to him one day—أَتَيْتُهُ مَرَّةً بَيْنَ الظَّهَرْينِ
Or, according to Aboo-Fak'as, on a day between two years.
I saw him between nightfall and daybreak—رَأَيْتُهُ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ اللَّيْلِ
I came to him between the beginning and the end of the day—جِئْتُهُ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ النَّهَارِ
1.12figurative · مجازit turned over and over, or upside down, as a serpent does on ground heated by the sun—تَقَلَّبَ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ
Literally: back for belly. Mentioned in the article قلب.
I turned the earth over, upside down—قَلَبْتُ الأَرْضَ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ
he meditated, or managed, the affair with foresight, and well—قَلَّبَ أَمْرَهُ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ
Also ظَهْرَهُ لِبَطْنٍ and ظَهْرَهُ لِبَطْنِهِ and ظَهْرَهُ لِلْبَطْنِ; the last form is preferred by El-Farezdak to the second, because [as in the third form] the second of the two words is determinate like the first.
1.13figurative · مجازthis is the apparent, visible part of the sky—هٰذَا ظَهْرُ السَّمَآءِ
this is the apparent, visible part of the sky—هذا بَطْنُ السَّمَآءِ
The Arabs used to say both of these. The like is said of the side of a wall: it is its بَطْن to a person on the same side, and its ظَهْر to one on the other side.
1.14figurative · مجاز — inferrednot a verse of the Qur'ān has come down but it has a verbal expression and an interpretation—مَا نَزَلَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ آيَةٌ إِلَّا لَهَا ظَهْرٌ وَبَطْنٌ
Part of a saying of Muhammad; for the rest of it, see مُطَّلَعٌ.
Or: a verbal expression and a meaning; or that which has an apparent and known [or exoteric] interpretation and that which has an inner [or esoteric] one; or narration and admonition; or it is to be read and to be understood and taught, the ظهر being the reading and the بطن the understanding and teaching. [See also بَطْنٌ.]
1.15figurative · مجازcamels on which people ride, and which carry goods—ظَهْرٌ
Camels that carry burdens on their backs in journeying; or a beast; or a camel for riding. Plural ظُهْرَانٌ.
and he reached, or took in his hand, the sword from the camels for carrying burdens and for riding—فَتَنَاوَلَ السَّيْفَ مِنَ الظَّهْرِ
In a tradition of 'Arfajeh.
do you permit us to slaughter our camels which we ride?—أَتَأْذَنُ لَنَا فِى نَحْرِ ظَهْرِنَا
In another tradition.
he is determined upon travel—هُوَ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ
As though he had already mounted a beast for that purpose.
1.16figurative · مجاز — inferred
[Hence, apparently:] property consisting of camels and sheep or goats; or much property.
1.17figurative · مجاز — inferredfeather your arrow with short sides of feathers, and do not feather it with long sides—رِشْ سَهْمَكَ بِظُهْرَانٍ وَلَا تَرِشْهُ بِبُطْنَانٍ
The short side [or lateral half] of a feather. Plural ظُهْرَانٌ, opposed to بَطْنٌ, singular of بُطْنَانٌ, which means the long sides.
ظُهَارٌ means the same as ظَهْرٌ, or the same as ظُهْرَانٌ, being an irregular plural; and this is what is meant by the saying الظُّهَارُ بِالضَّمِ الجَمَاعَةُ, mentioned later in the K [in such a way as to have led to the supposition that ظُهَارٌ is also synonymous with جَمَاعَةٌ].
AO says that among the feathers of arrows are the ظُهَار, which are those put [upon an arrow] from the ظَهْر [or outer side] of the عَسِيب [apparently here the shaft] of the feather, that is, the shorter side, which is the best kind of feather; also called ظُهْرَان, singular ظَهْرٌ.
ISd says that the ظُهْرَان are those parts of the feathers of the wing that are exposed to the sun and rain; Lth says that the ظُهَار are those parts of the feathers of the wing that are visible.
[De Sacy supposes that ظُهُورٌ and بُطُونٌ are also plurals of ظَهْرٌ and بَطْنٌ used in this way (see his "Chrest. Arabe", 2nd ed., vol. 2, p. 374); but his reasons do not seem to me conclusive.]
ظُهَارٌ and ظُهْرَانٌ are also used as adjectives: one says رِيشٌ ظُهَارٌ and رِيشٌ ظُهْرَانٌ.
1.18figurative · مجاز — inferredthe back of the hand—ظَهْرُ الكَفِّ
the back of the hand—ظَاهِرُهَا
the upper, or convex, side of the human foot, including the instep—ظَهْرُ القَدَمِ
Opposed to بَطْن and بَاطِن.
the upper, or convex, side of the human foot, including the instep—ظَاهِرُهَا
the upper surface of the tongue—ظَهْرُ اللِّسَانِ
1.19figurative · مجازa way by land—ظَهْرٌ
This expression is used when there is a way by land and a way by sea.
they journeyed by land—سَارُوا فِى طَرِيقِ الظَّهْرِ
1.20figurative · مجاز — inferredthe herbs, or leguminous plants, of the elevated tracts of ground dried up—هَاجَتْ ظَوَاهِرُ الأَرْضِ
And: an elevated tract of land or ground; also ظَاهِرةٌ. Or rugged and elevated land or ground; also ظَاهِرَةٌ, opposed to بَطْنٌ, which means soft, plain, fine and low land or ground.
ظَوَاهِرُ [plural of ظَاهِرَةٌ] means elevated tracts of land or ground.
ظَاهِرٌ means the higher, or highest, part of a mountain, whether its outside is level or not, and ظَاهِرَةٌ the same, of anything. When you have gone up on the ظَهْر of a mountain, you are upon its ظَاهِرَة.
1.21figurative · مجاز — inferredtheir valley flowed with the rain of their own land—سَالَ وَادِيهِمْ ظَهْرًا
Opposed to دُرْءًا, meaning from other rain. Or the first means: their valley flowed with its own rain, and the second: with rain other than its own. Some say ظُهْرًا, which Az thinks the better form.
1.22figurative · مجاز — inferredI obtained much good from him, or it—أَصَبْتُ مِنْهُ مَطَرَ ظَهْرٍ
This probably comes from that meaning.
1.23
Another meaning of ظَهْرٌ: what is absent, hidden, or concealed from one.
1.24figurative · مجازhe carped at him behind his back, in his absence, by saying what would grieve him—تَنَاوَلَهُ بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ بِمَا يَسُوؤُهُ
It is sometimes prefixed to another noun to give plainness and force to the expression, as in ظَهْرُ الغَيْبِ and ظَهْرُ القَلْبِ, meaning نَفْسُ الغَيْبِ and نَفْسُ القَلْبِ; or it is redundant in these instances.
Lebeed says, describing a [wild] cow going about after a beast of prey that had eaten her young one: [And she heard the sound of man, and it frightened her, from a place that concealed what was in it; for man is her malady, that is, a cause of pain and trouble and death to her]
shāhidوَتَسَمَّعَتْ رِزَّ الأَنِيسِ فَرَاعَهَاعَنْ ظَهْرِ غَيْبٍ وَالأَنِيسُ سَقَامُهَا
— meaning, she heard the sound of the hunters. Mentioned in the article غيب.
Mentioned in the article غيب.
I spoke it from memory, without a book or the like—تَكَلَّمْتُ بِهِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ
Or عن ظَهْرِ غَيْبٍ. [As one says in modern Arabic, عَلَى الغَائِب. See also غَيْبٌ.]
he recited it by heart, without book—قَرَأَهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِ القَلْبِ
In the K, مِنْ is put in the place of عَنْ, but the right reading is that of the L; and in the CK there is an omission here, to be filled by inserting وَقَرَأَهُ.
قرأه ظَاهِرًا and قرأه عَلَى ظَهْرِ لِسَانِهِ mean the same.
he knew the Qur'ān by heart—حَمَلَ القُرْآنَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ لِسَانِهِ
Like حَفِظَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ قَلْبِهِ.
1.25figurative · مجازsuch a one eats at the expense of such a one—فُلَانٌ يَأْكُلُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ يَدِ فُلَانٍ
the poor eat at the expense of the people—الفُقَرَآءُ يَأْكُلُونَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ أَيْدِى النَّاسِ
he gave him originally, without compensation—أَعْطَاهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِ يَدٍ
In some copies of the K we find مِنْ in the place of عَنْ.
the most excellent of alms is that which comes from competence—أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى
Said in a tradition. Or ظهر, or simply عَنْ غِنًى, the word ظهر being redundant here. Or: from manifest competence upon which one relies, and in which one seeks aid against calamities, or afflictions; or from what remains after fight; or from superfluous property.
3figurative · مجاز — inferredan old cooking-pot—قِدْرُ ظَهْرٍ
Plural قُدُورُ ظُهُورٍ; as though, because of its age, it were thrown behind the back.
Qur’ānic occurrences ظَهْر 5 shown of 15
9:35
يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَOn the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!"
21:39
لَوْ يَعْلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَIf only the Unbelievers knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor yet from their backs, and (when) no help can reach them!
42:33
إِن يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ ٱلرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍIf it be His Will He can still the Wind: then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful.
84:10
وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهْرِهِۦBut he who is given his Record behind his back,-
94:3
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَThe which did gall thy back?-
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
Show Lane's original text
The back; contr. of بَطْنٌ : (S, A, O, Msb, K:) in a man, from the hinder part of the كَاهِل [or base of the neck] to the nearest part of the buttocks, where it terminates: (TA:) in a camel, the part containing six vertebræ on the right and left of which are [two portions of flesh and sinew called the] مَتْنَانِ : (AHeyth, T, O:) of the masc. gender: (Lh, A, K:) pl. [of pauc.] أَظْهُرٌ , and [of mult.] ظُهُورٌ and ظُهْرَانٌ . (Msb, K.) رَجُلٌ خَفِيفُ الظَّهْرِ A man having a small household to maintain: and ثَقِيلُ الظَّهْرِ having a large household to maintain. (K, * TA.) أَنْت عَلَىَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّى Thou art to me like the back of my mother: said by a man to his wife. (S, Mgh, Msb, K.) [This has been expl. above: see 3.] عَدَا فِى ظَهْرِهِ He stole what was behind him: (A:) [or he acted wrongfully in respect of what was behind him: for] لِصٌّ عَادِى ظَهْرٍ is expl. by the words عَدَا فِى ظَهْرٍ فَسَرَقَهُ [so that it app. means A thief who has acted wrongfully in respect of what was behind one, and stolen it]. (O, K.) أَقْرَانُ الظَّهْرِ (S, O, K) and الظُّهُورِ (O, TA) Adversaries who come to one from behind his back, in war, or fight. (S, O, K, * TA.) In the copies of the K, يُحِبُّونَكَ is erroneously put for يَجِيؤُونَكَ . (TA.) You say also, فُلَانٌ قِرْنُ الظَّهْرِ Such a one is an adversary who comes to one from behind, unknown. (IAar, As.) قَتَلَهُ ظَهْرًا He slew him unexpectedly; he assassinated him; syn. غِيلَةٌ . (IAar, TA.) جَعَلَنِى بِظَهْرٍ He cast me off. (TA.) And جَعَلتُ حَاجَتَهُ بِظَهْرٍ I cast his want behind my back: (AO, K:) and جَعَلَهَا ظِهْرِيَّةً signifies the same: (S:) and اِتَّخَذَهَا ظِهْرِيًّا , (K,) and ظِهْرِيَّةً : (TA:) or the former of the last two phrases signifies he held it in contempt; as though ظهريّا were an irreg. rel. n. from ظَهْرٌ : (TA:) or اِتَّخَذَهُ ظِهْرِيًّا signifies he neglected, or forgot, (S, O, * Msb,) him, as in the Kur xi. 94, (S, O,) or it, namely, what was said. (Msb.) And لَا تَجْعَلْ حَاجَتِى بِظَهْرٍ Forget not thou, or neglect not, my want: (S:) and جَعَلَهُ ظِهْرِيًّا signifies he forgot it; as well as جعله بِظَهْرٍ . (A.) And جَعَلْتُ هٰذَا الأَمْرَ بِظَهْرٍ , and رَمَيْتُهُ بِظَهْرٍ , I cared not for this thing. (Th, O.) فُلَانٌ مِنْ وَلَدِ الظَّهْرِ Such a one is of those who do not belong to us: or of those to whom no regard is paid: (TA:) or of those who are held in contempt, and to whose ties of relationship no regard is paid. (S, TA.) هُوَ ٱبْنُ عَمِّهِ ظَهْرًا [He is his cousin on the father's side,] distantly related: contr. of دِنْيًا [and لَحًّا ]. (As, A, O, TA.) رَجَعَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ [He receded, retired, or retreated]. (K in art. ثبجر .) هُوَ نَازِلٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْهِمْ , and بين ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ , (S, A, O, Msb, K, *) in which latter the ا and ن are said by some to be added for corroboration, (Msb,) and for which one should not say ظَهْرَانِيهِمْ , (IF, S, O, Msb, K,) and بين أَظْهُرِهِمْ , (Msb, K,) He is making his abode in the midst of them; in the main body of them: (K, TA:) originally meaning he is making his abode among them for the purpose of seeking aid of them and staying himself upon them: as though it meant that the back of one of them was before him, and that of another behind him, so that he was defended in either direction: afterwards, by reason of frequency of usage, it came to be employed to signify abiding among a people absolutely. (IAth, Msb.) You say also هُوَ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْهِ , and بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِ , meaning It (anything) is in the midst, or main part, of it, namely, another thing. (TA.) لَقِيتُهُ بَيْنَ الظَّهْرَيْنِ , and بَيْنَ الظَّهْرَانَيْنِ , (S, O, Msb, K,) I met him during the day, (Msb,) or during the two days, (S, O, K,) or during the three days, (K,) or the days: (S, O, Msb:) from the next preceding phrase. (TA.) And أَتَيْتُهُ مَرَّةً بَيْنَ الظَّهَرْينِ I came to him one day: or, accord. to Aboo-Fak'as, on a day between two years. (Fr.) And رَأَيْتُهُ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ اللَّيْلِ I saw him between nightfall and daybreak. (TA.) And جِئْتُهُ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ النَّهَارِ [I came to him between the beginning and end of the day]. (A.) تَقَلَّبَ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ It turned over and over, or upside down, (lit. back for belly,) as a serpent does upon ground heated by the sun. (S and TA in art. قلب .) [Hence,] قَلَبْتُ الأَرْضَ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ [I turned the earth over, upside-down]. (A.) And [hence,] قَلَّبَ أَمْرَهُ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ , (O, * TA,) and ظَهْرَهُ لِبَطْنٍ , and ظَهْرَهُ لِبَطْنِهِ , and ظَهْرَهُ لِلْبَطْنِ , which last form is preferred by El-Farezdak to the second, because [as in the third form] the second of the two words is determinate like the first word, He meditated, or managed, the affair with forecast, and well. (O, * TA.) The Arabs used to say, هٰذَا ظَهْرُ السَّمَآءِ and هذا بَطْنُ السَّمَآءِ , both meaning This is the apparent, visible, part of the sky. (Fr, Az.) And the like is said of the side of a wall, which is its بَطْن to a person on the same side, and its ظَهْر to one on the other side. (Az.) مَا نَزَلَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ آيَةٌ إِلَّا لَهَا ظَهْرٌ وَبَطْنٌ , [part of] a saying of Mohammad, [of which see the rest voce مُطَّلَعٌ ,] means Not a verse of the Kur-án has come down but it has a verbal expression and an interpretation: (K, * TA:) or a verbal expression and a meaning: or that which has an apparent and a known [or an exoteric] interpretation and that which has an intrinsic [or esoteric] interpretation: (TA:) or narration (K, TA) and admonition: (TA:) or [it is to be read and to be understood and taught; for] by the ظهر is meant the reading; and by the بطن , the understanding and teaching. (TA.) [See also بَطْنٌ .] ظَهْرٌ signifies also Camels on which people ride, and which carry goods; (S, * A, * O, K, * TA;) camels that carry burdens upon their backs in journeying: (TA:) [or] a beast: or a camel for riding: (Mgh:) pl. ظُهْرَانٌ . (TA.) It is said in a trad. of 'Arfajeh, فَتَنَاوَلَ السَّيْفَ مِنَ الظَّهْرِ And he reached, or took in his hand, the sword from the camels for carrying burdens and for riding: and in another, أَتَأْذَنُ لَنَا فِى نَحْرِ ظَهْرِنَا Dost thou permit us to slaughter our camels which we ride? (TA.) And one says also, هُوَ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ He is determined upon travel: (K:) as though he had already mounted a beast for that purpose. (TA.) [Hence, app.,] Property consisting of camels and sheep or goats: (TA:) or much property. (K, TA.) The short side [or lateral half] of a feather: (S, O, K:) pl. ظُهْرَانٌ : (S, M, K, TA, &c.:) opposed to بَطْنٌ , sing. of بُطْنَانٌ , (TA,) which latter signifies the “ long sides: ” (S, TA:) and ظُهَارٌ signifies the same as ظَهْرٌ , (K,) or the same as ظُهْرَانٌ , being an irregular pl.; and this is meant by the saying الظُّهَارُ بِالضَّمِ الجَمَاعَةُ , mentioned in a later place in the K [in such a manner as to have led to the supposition that ظُهَارٌ is also syn. with جَمَاعَةٌ ]: (TA:) AO says that among the feathers of arrows are the ظُهَار , which are those that are put [upon an arrow] of the ظَهْر [or outer side] of the عَسِيب [app. here meaning the shaft] of the feather; (S, TA;) i. e., the shorter side, which is the best kind of feather; as also ظُهْرَان : sing. ظَهْرٌ : (TA:) ISd says that the ظُهْرَان are those parts of the feathers of the wing that are exposed to the sun and rain: (TA:) Lth says that the ظُهَار are those parts of the feathers of the wing that are apparent. (O, TA.) One says, رِشْ سَهْمَكَ بِظُهْرَانٍ وَلَا تَرِشْهُ بِبُطْنَانٍ [Feather thine arrow with short sides of feathers, and feather it not with long sides of feathers]. (S, TA.) [De Sacy supposes that ظُهُورٌ and بُطُونٌ are also pls. of ظَهْرٌ and بَطْنٌ thus used: (see his “ Chrest. Arabe, ” sec. ed., tome ii., p. 374:) but his reasons do not appear to me to be conclusive.] ظُهَارٌ and ظُهْرَانٌ are also used as epithets: you say, رِيشٌ ظُهَارٌ and رِيشٌ ظُهْرَانٌ . (TA.) [ ظَهْرُ الكَفِّ and ظَاهِرُهَا mean The back of the hand. And in like manner, ظَهْرُ القَدَمِ and ظَاهِرُهَا mean The upper, or convex, side, or back, of the human foot, corresponding to the back of the hand, including the instep: opposed to بَطْن and بَاطِن . And ظَهْرُ اللِّسَانِ means The upper surface of the tongue.] And ظَهْرٌ also signifies A way by land. (S, M, O, Msb, K.) This expression is used when there is a way by land and a way by sea. (M.) You say, سَارُوا فِى طَرِيقِ الظَّهْرِ They journeyed by land. (A.) And An elevated tract of land or ground; as also ظَاهِرةٌ : (A:) or rugged and elevated land or ground; (JK, K;) as also ظَاهِرَةٌ : (JK:) opposed to بَطْنٌ , which signifies “ soft and plain and fine and low land or ground: ” (TA:) and ظَوَاهِرُ [pl. of. ظَاهِرَةٌ ] signifies elevated tracts of land or ground: (S, K:) you say, هَاجَتْ ظَوَاهِرُ الأَرْضِ , meaning, the herbs, or leguminous plants, of the elevated tracts of land, or ground, dried up: (As, S, L:) and ظَاهِرٌ signifies the higher, or highest, part of a mountain; (ISh, L, TA;) whether its exterior be plain or not: (TA:) and ظَاهِرَةٌ , the same, of anything: (L:) when you have ascended upon the ظَهْر of a mountain, you are upon its ظَاهِرَة . (TA.) سَالَ وَادِيهِمْ ظَهْرًا means Their valley flowed with the rain of their own land: opposed to دُرْءًا , meaning, “ from other rain: ” (IAar, O, K: *) or the former signifies their valley flowed with its own rain: and the latter, “ with other than its own rain: ” (TA:) and some say ظُهْرًا , which Az thinks the better form. (O, TA.) [Hence, probably,] أَصَبْتُ مِنْهُ مَطَرَ ظَهْرٍ I obtained from him, or it, much good. (Sgh, O, K.) And another signification of ظَهْرٌ is What is absent, or hidden, or concealed, from one. (O, K.) It is sometimes prefixed to another noun to give plainness and force to the expression; as in ظَهْرُ الغَيْبِ and ظَهْرُ القَلْبِ , meaning نَفْسُ الغَيْبِ and نَفْسُ القَلْبِ : (Msb:) or it is redundant in these instances. (Mgh.) Lebeed says, describing a [wild] cow going about after a beast of prey that had eaten her young one, 1 [And she heard the sound of man, and it frightened her, from a place that concealed what was in it; for man is her malady; i. e., a cause of pain and trouble and death to her]: (TA:) meaning, she heard the sound of the hunters, &c. (TA in art. غيب .) And you say, تَنَاوَلَهُ بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ بِمَا يَسُوؤُهُ He carped at him behind the back, or in absence, by saying what would grieve him. (TA in art. غيب .) And تَكَلَّمْتُ بِهِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ (A, O) or عن ظَهْرِ غَيْبٍ (TA) [app., I spoke it by memory; in the absence of a book or the like; as one says in modern Arabic, عَلَى الغَائِب . See also غَيْبٌ .] And قَرَأَهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِ القَلْبِ He recited it by heart, or memory; without book: (L, K: [in the latter, مِنْ is put in the place of عَنْ ; but the right reading is that in the L: and in the CK is an omission here, to be supplied by the insertion of وَقَرَأَهُ :]) and قرأه ظَاهِرًا and قرأه عَلَى ظَهْرِ لِسَانِهِ [signify the same]. (K.) And حَمَلَ القُرْآنَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ لِسَانِهِ like حَفِظَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ قَلْبِهِ [He knew the Kur-án by heart]. (A, * O, TA.) وَتَسَمَّعَتْ رِزَّ الأَنِيسِ فَرَاعَهَا | عَنْ ظَهْرِ غَيْبٍ وَالأَنِيسُ سَقَامُهَا One says also, فُلَانٌ يَأْكُلُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ يَدِ فُلَانٍ Such a one eats at the expense of such a one. (A, O, K. *) And in like manner, الفُقَرَآءُ يَأْكُلُونَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ أَيْدِى النَّاسِ The poor eat at the expense of the people. (A, TA.) And أَعْطَاهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِ يَدٍ He gave him originally; without compensation. (O, * K; but in some copies of the K we find مِنْ in the place of عَنْ .) It is said [in a trad.], أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى The most excellent of alms is that which is [derived] from competence; ظهر : (Msb:) or simply عَنْ غِنًى , the word ظهر being here redundant: (Mgh:) or from manifest competence upon which one relies, and in which he seeks aid against calamities, or afflictions: or from what remains after fight: (Msb:) or from superfluous property. (TA.) See also ظَهِيرٌ قِدْرُ ظَهْرٍ means An old cooking-pot: (O, K: *) pl. قُدُورُ ظُهُورٍ : (O:) as though, because of its oldness, it were thrown behind the back. (TA.)