Core sense — a staff, a stick, a rod; the bone of the shank; the tonguegenerated
1a staff, a stick, or a rod—عُودٌ
It is not allowable to say عَصَآء, nor to add ة.
Originally عَصَوٌ, and its dual follows from that, as given below.
Said to be so called because the fingers and hand are put together upon it [to grasp it], from the saying عَصَوْتُ القَوْمَ “I collected together the people, or party”, as related by As from one or more of the Basrees.
the staff is from the little staff—العَصَا مِنَ العُصَيَّةِ
Of the feminine gender.
This is a proverb. [The diminutive has the affix ة because it is the diminutive of a feminine noun.]
[Or] العَصَا in this proverb is the name of a mare of Jedheemeh [mentioned under ضُلٌّ], and العُصَيَّة is the name of her dam. The meaning is that part of a thing or affair comes from part of it; and it is said when someone is likened to his father; or the meaning is that a big thing is small at its beginning. [See also Freytag's Arab. Prov. i. 17.]
this is my staff; I support myself upon it—هٰذِهِ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا
Fr says that the first incorrect speech heard in El-ʿIrāq was the saying هٰذِهِ عَصَاتِى.
The dual is عَصَوَانِ; the plural of multitude is عُصِىٌّ [originally عُصُووٌ], of the measure فُعُولٌ, and عِصِىٌّ, in which the ع has kesr because of the kesrah following it; and the plural of paucity is أَعْصٍ and أَعْصَآءٌ, or this last agrees with analogy but has not been transmitted, and is disallowed by Sb, who says that عُِصِىٌّ was used in its place.
1.1
Hence various sayings, which follow here.
1.2figurative · مجاز — inferredhe threw down his staff—أَلْقَى عَصَاهُ
Meaning he stayed, and rested, and ceased from journeys, having reached his place. A proverb, applied to one for whom an affair has become suitable and who has therefore kept to it. Or: he made his tent-pegs firm and pitched his tent, or stayed, like one who has come back from his journey.
he took up his staff—رَفَعَ عَصَاهُ
Meaning he ceased staying in the place where he had alighted; he departed.
1.3do not put away your staff, or stick, from your family, or your wife—لَا تَرْفَعْ عَصَاكَ عَنْ أَهْلِكَ
This denotes [the practice of] discipline. [See the article رفع, p. 1122, col. 3.]
1.4figurative · مجاز — inferredthey are the slaves of the staff—هُمْ عَبِيدُ العَصَا
Meaning they are people beaten with the staff.
In the A: النَّاسُ عَبِيدُ العَصَا [Mankind are the slaves of the staff], meaning that they are dreaded because of the harm they do [and so are to be kept in awe].
1.5they are none other than the slaves of the staff—مَا هُمْ إِلَّا عَبِيدُ العَصَا
Said of people regarded as low, base, or vile.
1.6figurative · مجاز — inferredhe is one whose staff is supple—إِنَّهُ لَيِّنُ العَصَا
It means he is gentle, and a good manager of what he has charge of. According to ISd, it alludes to beating little with the عصا.
he is one whose staff is weak—إِنَّهُ ضَعِيفُ العَصَا
Meaning تِرْعِيَّةٌ [i.e. one who performs well the keeping or tending, or the pasturing or feeding, of camels]; or one who beats the camels little with the عَصا; and such a man is commended.
one whose staff is hard—صَلِيبُ العَصَا
Also صُلْبُهَا. It means one who is ungentle with the camels, beating them with the عصا; and such a man is not commended. See an example in a verse of Er-Rāʿee cited under صُلْبٌ.
1.7figurative · مجاز — inferredhe struck him with the staff of censure—قَرَعَهُ بِعَصَا المَلَامَةِ
Meaning he went beyond the usual bounds in censuring him.
1.8
See also form 1 in the article قرع.
1.9figurative · مجاز — inferredsuch a one straightens the staff of such a one by turning it round over the fire—فُلَانٌ يُصَلِّى عَصَا فُلَانٍ
Meaning such a one manages, orders, or regulates the affairs of such a one.
1.10figurative · مجاز — inferreddo not enter between the staff and its peel—لَا تَدْخُلْ بَيْنَ العَصَا وَلِحَائِهَا
Meaning do not meddle between two close friends (see Freytag's Arab. Prov. i. 153); or do not enter into what does not concern you.
I peeled the staff for him—قَشَرْتُ لَهُ العَصَا
Meaning I disclosed to him what was in my mind.
1.11figurative · مجاز — inferredthe splitting of the staff—شَقُّ العَصَا
he separated himself from, and contravened, the collective body [or the community]—شَقَّ العَصَا
It means the contravening of the collective body [or the community] of El-Islām [i.e. of the Muslims]; and also the breaking up of the collective body of the tribe.
And [it is said that] the primary meaning of العَصَا is the state of combination and union.
they have made a schism in the combination and union, or the communion, of the Muslims—قَدْ شَقُّوا عَصَا المُسْلِمِينَ
This is the meaning in the saying about the خَوَارِج [see خارِجِىٌّ].
beware of slaying or being slain in making a schism in the communion of the Muslims—إِيَّاكَ وَقَتْلَ العَصَا
فِى شَقِّ عَصَا المُسْلِمِينَ: the communion of the Muslims.
the staff became split—اِنْشَقَّتِ العَصَا
Meaning disagreement, or discord, befell.
the staff of the sons of such a one flew in splinters—طَارَتْ عَصَا بَنِى فُلَانٍ شِقَقًا
A proverb, meaning the sons of such a one became scattered in various directions.
1.12the stick of the slave—عَصَا العَبْدِ
This is the thing with which one stirs the مَلَّة [or hot ashes in which bread is baked].
1.13figurative · مجاز — inferredthe bone of the shank—العَصَا
So called as being likened to the عصا [properly so called].
the bones that are in the wing—العِصِىُّ
certain stars—العُصِىُّ
[This is the plural.]
[The same word, or this one.] They have the form of the عَصَا [or rather of عصىّ]. [But I have not been able to determine what stars these are.]
1.14the tongue—العَصَا
[Perhaps as being likened to a staff because it is used in chiding.]
1.15a woman's muffler, or head-covering—خِمَار
1.16the pastor's rod; knot-grass, a species of polygonum, p. aviculare—عَصَا الرَّاعِى
There is a male and a female kind, the male being the more potent. Dioscorides asserts that it is diuretic, and a remedy for one who suffers suppression of the urine. (Ibn-Sīnā, whom we call Avicenna, book 2, p. 229.)
Also called the بطباط [i.e. بَطْبَاط, but the former name is the better known].
Show Lane's original text
i. q. عُودٌ [as meaning A staff, or stick, or rod]: (K:) originally عَصَوٌ , and accordingly its dual is as below: said to be thus called because the fingers and hand are put together upon it [to grasp it], from the saying عَصَوْتُ القَوْمَ “ I collected together the people, or party; ” as related by As from some one or more of the Basrees: (TA:) of the fem. gender: (S, Msb, K:) it is said in a prov., العَصَا مِنَ العُصَيَّةِ [lit. The staff is from the little staff; the dim. having the affix ة because it is the dim. of a fem. n.]; (S;) [or] العَصَا in this prov. is the name of a mare of Jedheemeh [mentioned voce ضُلٌّ ], and العُصَيَّة is that of her dam; meaning that part of the thing, or affair, is from part; (S, K, TA;) and said when one is likened to his father; or meaning that the big thing is in its commencement small: (TA: [see also Freytag's Arab. Prov. i. 17:]) it is not allowable to say عَصَآء ; nor to affix ة : (As, TA:) one says, هٰذِهِ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا [This is my staff; I support, or stay, myself upon it]: Fr says that the first incorrect speech heard in El-'Irák was the saying, هٰذِهِ عَصَاتِى : (S:) the dual is عَصَوَانِ : (S, Msb:) and the pl. [of mult.] is عُصِىٌّ , (S, Msb, K,) [originally عُصُووٌ ,] of the measure فُعُولٌ , (S, Msb,) and عِصِىٌّ , (S, K,) in which the ع is with kesr because of the kesrah following it, and [of pauc.] أَعْصٍ (S, Msb, K) and أَعْصَآءٌ , (K,) or this last is agreeable with analogy, but has not been transmitted, (ISk, Msb,) and is disallowed by Sb, who says that عُِصِىٌّ was used in its stead. (TA.) [Hence various sayings, here following. ] أَلْقَى عَصَاهُ [lit. He threw down his staff;] meaning he stayed, (S, Msb, K, TA,) and rested, (Msb,) and ceased from journeys, (S,) having reached his place: (K, TA:) a prov.; (S, TA;) applied to him to whom an affair has become suitable and who has therefore kept to it: (TA:) or he made firm his tent-pegs, and pitched his tent, or stayed; (K, TA;) like him who has returned from his journey. (TA.) And رَفَعَ عَصَاهُ [He took up his staff] means he ceased from staying [in a place at which he had alighted; he departed]. (Har p. 454.) لَا تَرْفَعْ عَصَاكَ عَنْ أَهْلِكَ [Put not thou away thy staff, or stick, from thy family, or thy wife,] denotes [the practice of] discipline. (S. [See art. رفع , p. 1122, col. 3.]) هُمْ عَبِيدُ العَصَا [They are the slaves of the staff] means they are [persons] beaten with the staff. (K, TA.) It is said in the A, النَّاسُ عَبِيدُ العَصَا [Mankind are the slaves of the staff], meaning that they are dreaded by reason of their doing harm [and are therefore to be kept in awe]. (TA.) And مَا هُمْ إِلَّا عَبِيدُ العَصَا [They are none other than the slaves of the staff] is said of persons regarded as low, base, or vile. (TA.) إِنَّهُ لَيِّنُ العَصَا [Verily he is one whose staff is supple] means he is gentle, a good manager of that whereof he has the charge: (S, K: *) accord. to ISd, alluding to the beating little with the عصا . (TA.) And إِنَّهُ ضَعِيفُ العَصَا [Verily he is one whose staff is weak], meaning تِرْعِيَّةٌ [i. e., one who performs well the act of keeping or tending, or of pasturing or feeding, camels]: (S:) or one who beats the camels little (K, TA) with the عَصا : and such is commended. (TA.) And صَلِيبُ العَصَا and صُلْبُهَا [One whose staff is hard], i. e. one who is ungentle with the camels, beating them with the عصا : and such is discommended. (TA.) See an ex. in a verse of Er-Rá'ee cited voce صُلْبٌ . قَرَعَهُ بِعَصَا المَلَامَةِ [He struck him with the staff of censure] means he exceeded the usual bounds in censuring him. (TA.) See also 1 in art. قرع . فُلَانٌ يُصَلِّى عَصَا فُلَانٍ [Such a one straightens the staff of such a one by turning it round over the fire] means such a one manages, orders, or regulates, the affairs of such a one. (TA.) لَا تَدْخُلْ بَيْنَ العَصَا وَلِحَائِهَا [Enter not thou between the staff and its peel] means [ intermeddle not thou between two close friends; (see Freytag's Arab. Prov. i. 153;) or] enter not thou into that which does not concern thee. (TA.) And قَشَرْتُ لَهُ العَصَا [I peeled for him the staff] means I discovered to him what was in my mind. (TA.) شَقُّ العَصَا [lit. The splitting of the staff] means the contravening of the collective body [or the community] of El-Islám [i. e. of the Muslims]: (K, TA:) and also the disuniting of the collective body of the tribe: (TA:) or شَقَّ العَصَا means He separated himself from, and he contravened, the collective body [or the community]: (Msb:) and [it is said that] the primary signification of العَصَا is the state of combination and union: (TA:) this is the meaning in the saying, respecting the خَوَارِج [see خارِجِىٌّ ], قَدْ شَقُّوا عَصَا المُسْلِمِينَ [They have made a schism in the state of combination and union, or in the communion, of the Muslims]. (S, TA.) [Hence,] their saying إِيَّاكَ وَقَتْلَ العَصَا means Beware thou of slaying or being slain in making a schism in the communion of the Muslims ( فِى شَقِّ عَصَا المُسْلِمِينَ ). (TA.) And one says, اِنْشَقَّتِ العَصَا (S, TA) [The staff became split], meaning, disagreement, or discord, befell. (TA.) And طَارَتْ عَصَا بَنِى فُلَانٍ شِقَقًا [lit. The staff of the sons of such a one flew in splinters], a prov., meaning the sons of such a one became scattered in various directions. (Meyd.) عَصَا العَبْدِ [The stick of the slave] is the thing with which one stirs the مَلَّة [or hot ashes wherein bread is baked]. (TA.) العَصَا signifies also The bone of the shank; (K, TA;) as being likened to the عصا [properly so called]. (TA.) And [the pl.] العِصِىُّ , The bones that are in the wing. (S.) And [the same, or] العُصِىُّ , Certain stars, having the form of the عَصَا [or rather of عصىّ ]. (TA. [But what stars these are, I have not been able to determine.]) Also, (i. e. العَصَا ,) The tongue. (K.) [Perhaps as being likened to a staff because used in chiding.] And The woman's [muffler, or headcovering, called] خِمَار . (K.) عَصَا الرَّاعِى [The pastor's rod; and appellation of knot-grass; a species of polygonum, p. aviculare;] the بطباط [i. e. بَطْبَاط , but the former name is the better known]; male, and female, the former of which is the more potent: asserted by Dioscorides to be diuretic, and a remedy for him who suffers suppression of the urine. (Ibn-Seenà, whom we call Avicenna, book ii. p. 229.)