Core sense — a loop, or handle; trees pastured on in drought; a thing relied ongenerated
1
Primarily, a thing by which another thing is made fast, or firm, and on which reliance is placed; or it is applied to this figuratively, from the same word as meaning an appertenance of a shirt, of a mug, and of a leathern bucket.
1.1the button-loop of a shirt, or of a garment: the thing the button is put into—عُرْوَة
Well known. The button is زِرّ, and the loop is the sister of the زرّ.
Also عُرًى according to the copies of the K, or عَرِىٌّ according to some of them, and with kesr; but correctly with damm and with the ر sākin, that is عُرْوٌ, as in the Tekmileh, and also with kesr, that is عِرْوٌ; as though these two were plurals, or rather collective generic nouns, of عروة, that is عُرْوَةٌ and عِرْوَةٌ.
The plural is عُرًى. عراوى, that is عَرَاوَى, as a plural of عُرْوَةٌ, is vulgar.
1.2the loops of loads, or burdens, and of the camels that bear saddles or burdens—عُرًى
Hence the tradition لَا تُشَدُّ العُرَى إِلَّا إِلَى ثَلَاثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ: the loops of loads shall not be made fast for a journey save to three mosques — that of Mekkeh, that of El-Medeeneh, and that of El-Aksà at Jerusalem.
See also similar traditions under ضرب, first paragraph, second column, and under عمل, form 4.
1.3the loop-shaped handle of the leathern bucket, and of the mug—عُرْوَة
Both are well known; so too is that of the leathern water-bag (see form 2). The handle of the mug is also called its أُذُن.
1.4the outer flesh of the vulva, thin, turning to right and left at the lower part of the clitoris—عُرْوَة
Said of the فَرْج, the vulva of a woman; the part at whose lower portion this lies is the بَظْر, here the clitoris.
Each of what are termed عُرْوَتَانِ, the nymphæ.
1.5a collection of trees that are pastured on in time of drought—عُرْوَةٌ
The trees are عِضَاه and حَمْض, depastured in drought; or especially a collection of عِضَاه on which men pasture their beasts or cattle when they suffer drought; or such as remain of عِضَاه and of حَمْض and are depastured in drought.
It is not applied to any trees but these, unless to trees that have remained in the صَيْف, apparently meaning spring, having survived the winter.
Also tangled, or luxuriant, or abundant and dense, trees among which the camels pass the winter and of which they eat; and, as some say, trees whose leaves do not fall in the winter, such as the أَرَاك and the سِدْر; or trees that remain constantly in the ground; or such as suffice the camels, or cattle, throughout the year.
Or shrubs whose lower portions remain in the ground, such as the عَرْفَج and the نَصِىّ and the several kinds of خُلَّة and حَمْض, so that when men suffer drought the cattle gain the means of living; so Az.
Or pasture that remains after the other herbage has dried up, because the cattle cling to it, or eat of it in the winter, تَتَعَلَّقُ بِهَا, and are kept alive by it; for which reason they are also called عُلْقَة.
For عَلَقة in my copy of the Mgh I have substituted عُلْقَة, which is evidently the right word.
See also عُقْدَةٌ, in two places, in the last quarter of that paragraph.
The plural is عُرًى.
1.6we pastured our cattle in the environs of Mekkeh—رَعَيْنَا عُرْوَةَ مَكَّةَ
Also the environs of a town, where people pasture their cattle.
1.7figurative · مجازa company, or party, of men by whom one benefits—عُرًى
The plural, likened to the trees that remain through the winter; or a company of men is likened to those trees.
1.8figurative · مجاز
And in the singular: such of camels, cattle, or other property as is held in high estimation, or much in request; as an excellent horse, and the like.
1.9figurative · مجاز — inferredthe stay, or support, of the poor and needy—عُرْوَةُ الصَّعَالِيكِ
The poor, or needy, are the صعاليك. It is also the name, or a surname, of a well-known man; see صُعْلُوكٌ.
1.10the firmest thing on which one lays hold—العُرْوَةُ الوُثْقَى
So Bd at 31:21; the same phrase occurs at 2:257. It is said to be the saying “There is no deity but God”, from العُرْوَةُ in the first of the senses given above, or as meaning the trees that have a lower portion remaining in the ground, like the نَصِىّ and the عَرْفَج, as explained above.
the firmest of things on which one lays hold—أَوْثَقُ عُرًى
Occurring in a saying of the Prophet, and explained as meaning religious belief, or faith.
Lane cites “Bd in xxxi. 21” — a commentary, not the verse; no modern number is given
1.11a name of the lion—العُرْوَةُ
Qur’ānic occurrences عُرْوَة
2:256
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌLet there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
31:22
وَمَن يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْأُمُورِWhoever submits his whole self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold: and with Allah rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs.
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
primarily signifies A thing by means of which another thing is rendered fast, or firm, and upon which reliance is placed: (TA:) or it is metaphorically applied in this sense; from the same word as signifying an appertenance of a shirt, and of a mug, and of a leathern bucket. (Mgh, Msb. *) The عُرْوَة of a shirt, (S, M, Msb,) or of a garment, (K,) is well known; (S, Msb;) i. e. [A button-loop, or loop into which a button is inserted and by means of which it is rendered fast;] the thing into which the زِرّ [or button] thereof enters; (M, TA;) the sister of the زرّ thereof; (K;) as also عُرًى , accord. to the copies of the K, or عَرِىٌّ , accord. to some of them; and with kesr; but correctly with damm and with the ر quiescent [i. e. عُرْوٌ ] as in the Tekmileh; and also with kesr [i. e. عِرْوٌ ]; as though these two were pls. [or rather coll. gen. ns.] of عروة [i. e. عُرْوَةٌ and عِرْوَةٌ ]: (TA:) the pl. is عُرًى : (Msb:) عراوى [i. e. عَرَاوَى ] as pl. of عُرْوَةٌ is vulgar. (TA.) [The pl.] عُرًى also signifies [in like manner] Certain [well-known] appertenances [i. e. loop] of loads, or burdens, and of the camels that bear saddles or burdens: whence the trad. لَا تُشَدُّ العُرَى إِلَّا إِلَى ثَلَاثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ [The loops of loads shall not be made fast for the purpose of journeying save to three mosques; that of Mekkeh, that of El-Medeeneh, and that of El-Aksà at Jerusalem: see also similar trads. in art. ضرب (first paragraph, see. col.,) and in art. عمل (conj. 4)]. (TA.) The عُرْوَة of the leathern bucket is likewise well known, (TA,) and so is that of the mug: (S, TA:) each is The [loopshaped] handle: (K, TA:) [so too is that of the leathern water-bag: (see 2:)] that of the mug is [also called] its أُذُن . (Msb.) The عُرْوَة of the فَرْج [or vulva of a woman] is The flesh of its exterior, (K, TA,) or an external flesh, (so in some copies of the K,) which is, or becomes, thin, and turns to the right and left, with [or at] the lower part of the بَظْر [here meaning the clitoris]: (K, TA;) each of what are termed عُرْوَتَانِ [i. e. the nymphæ]. (TA.) And عُرْوَةٌ signifies also A collection of [the trees called] عِضَاه and of [those called] حَمْض that are depastured in the case of drought: (K:) or especially a collection of عِضَاه upon which men pasture [their beasts or cattle] when they experience drought: or such as remain of عِضَاه and of حَمْض and are depastured in the case of drought; and it is not applied to any trees but these, unless to any trees that have remained in the صَيْف [here app. meaning spring, having survived the winter]: (TA:) also tangled, or luxuriant, or abundant and dense, trees, among which the camels pass the winter, and whereof they eat: (K:) and (as some say, TA) tree of which the leaves fall not in the winter, (K, TA,) such as the أَرَاك and the سِدْر : (TA:) or trees that remain incessantly in the earth, not going: (S:) or such as suffice the camels. or cattle, throughout the gear: (TA:) or shrubs of which the lower portions remain in the earth, such as the عَرْفَج and the نَصِىّ and the several kinds of خُلَّة and حَمْض ; so that when, men experience drought, the cattle gain the means of subsistence; thus accord. to Az: or pasture that remains after the [other] herbage has dried up; because the cattle cling thereto, or eat thereof in the winter. ( تَتَعَلَّقُ بِهَا ,) and are preserved thereby: wherefore they are also called عُلْقَة : (Mgh: [but for عَلَقة in my copy of that work, I have substituted عُلْقَة as being evidently the right word:]) [see also عُقْدَةٌ , in the last quarter of the paragraph, in two places:] the pl. is عُرًى . (S, TA.) Also The environs of a town [where people pasture their cattle]. (K, TA.) One says, رَعَيْنَا عُرْوَةَ مَكَّةَ i. e. [We pastured our cattle] in the environs of Mekkeh. (TA.) And the pl., عُرًى , signifies A company, or party, of men by whom one benefits, or profits; as being likened to the trees [so called] that remain [throughout the winter]: (TA:) or a company, or party, of men is likened to the trees thus called. (S.) And the sing., Such as is held in high estimation, or in much request, of camels, or cattle, or other property; as an excel-lent horse; (K, TA;) and the like. (TA.) عُرْوَةُ الصَّعَالِيكِ means The stay, or support, of the صعاليك [i. e. poor, or needy]: and [hence] is the name [or a surname] of a well-known man. (TA. [See صُعْلُوكٌ .]) العُرْوَةُ الوُثْقَى signifies The firmest thing upon which one lays hold: (Bd in xxxi. 21: [see also ii. 257, where the same phrase occurs:]) and is [said to be] the saying “ There is no deity but God: ” from العُرْوَةُ [in the first of the senses assigned to it above, as is indicated in the Msb in relation to a similar phrase here following; or] as signifying “ the trees that have a lower portion remaining in the earth, as the نَصِىّ and the عَرْفَج &c.; ” as expl. above. (TA.) And أَوْثَقُ عُرًى [The firmest of things upon which one lays hold], occurring in a saying of the Prophet, is expl. as being [religious] belief, or faith. (Msb.) And العُرْوَةُ is a name of The lion. (S, Mgh, K.)