Core sense — a bow; the sign of Sagittarius; a cubitgenerated
1an Arabian bow—قَوْسُ نَبْلٍ
[A bow;] a certain thing, well known, with which one shoots. It is feminine; or masculine and feminine; or sometimes masculine.
Plural of paucity أَقْوَاسٌ and أَقْيَاسٌ, the ى being interchangeable with the و.
Plural of multitude قِسِىٌّ, originally قُوُوسٌ, which is not used, of the measure فُعُولٌ, first changed to قُسُوٌّ, of the measure فُلُوعٌ, and then to قِسِىٌّ, of the measure فِلِيعٌ, like عِصِىٌّ; and قُسِىٌّ, from the same original, [like عُصِىٌّ]; and قِيَاسٌ, which agrees better with analogy than قسىّ.
The diminutive is قُوَيْسٌ, without ة, against rule, since the word is feminine; and sometimes قُوَيْسَةٌ: or the first according to those who make قوس masculine, and the second according to those who make it feminine.
a Persian bow—قَوْسُ نُشَّابٍ
[a bow for shooting a certain kind of short arrows]—قَوْسُ حُسْبَانٍ
[a cross-bow]—قَوْسُ جُلَاهِقٍ
[a bow for loosening and separating cotton]—قَوْسُ نَدْفٍ
on this sense The word is prefixed to another word to give it a special meaning.
1.1figurative · مجازsuch a one, no one will pull his bow—فُلَانٌ لَا يَمُدُّ قَوْسَهُ أَحَدٌ
they shot at us from one bow—رَمَوْنَا عَنْ قَوْسٍ وَاحِدٍ
That is, no one will vie or compete with him.
Or وَاحِدَةٍ. The meaning is that they were unanimous against us; a proverb denoting agreement. It is also given as رَمَوْهُمْ and وَاحِدَةٍ.
he is one of the best arrows of a little bow—هُوَ مِنْ خَيْرِ قُوَيْسٍ سَهْمًا
Some copies have قَوْسٍ in place of قويس.
he became the best arrow of a little bow—صَارَ خَيْرَ قُوَيْسٍ سَهْمًا
and he was at the distance of two Arabian bows—فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ
A proverb applied to one who has become mighty after being of mean condition; or to one who opposes you and then returns to doing what you like.
From the Qur'ān 53:9. Or: two cubits — apparently an explanation by one who holds قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ to stand for قَابَىَ قَوْسٍ. Or the meaning is قَابَىْ قَوْسٍ, that is, at the distance of the measure of the two portions between the part of a bow that is grasped by the hand and each of the curved ends.
See also art. قوب.
1.2figurative · مجاز — inferredthe sign of Sagittarius—القَوْسُ
Also called الرَّامِى. It is one of the signs of the zodiac, namely the ninth.
1.3the rainbow—قَوْسُ قُزَحَ
The two words are inseparable. See قزح.
1.4figurative · مجاز — inferredthe bowed, or bent, part of the back of a man—قَوْسُ الرَّجُلِ
1.5figurative · مجازthe anterior ribs of the camel—أَقْوَاسُ البَعِيِر
1.6figurative · مجازwhat remains of dates in the receptacle, or in its bottom or its sides, like a bow—قَوْسٌ
Or a number of dates collected together; plural as above.
The receptacle is the جُلَّة.
Zeyd Ibn-Kuthweh: the fourth part of the جُلَّة of dates; like رِزْمَةٌ, in art. رزم. In this sense also the word is feminine.
2
Also a cubit; sometimes used in this sense, because a thing is measured with it.
Show Lane's original text
[A bow;] a certain thing, well known, (A, K,) with which one shoots: (M, TA:) of the fem. gender: (IAmb, M, Msb:) or masc. and fem.: (S, Msb:) or sometimes masc.: (A, K:) pl. [of pauc.] أَقْوَاسٌ (IAmb, S, A, Msb, K) and أَقْيَاسٌ , (TA, and so in some copies of the K, in the place of the former,) the ى being interchangeable with the و , (TA,) and [of mult.] قِسِىٌّ , (S, A, Msb, K,) originally قُوُوسٌ , (S, TA,) which is not used, (TA,) of the neasure فُعُولٌ , (S, Msb,) first changed to قُسُوٌّ , of he measure فُلُوعٌ , and then to قِسِىٌّ , of the measure فِلِيعٌ , like عِصِىٌّ , (S,) and قُسِىٌّ , (Fr, Sgh, K,) from the same original, (TA,) [like عُصِىٌّ ,] and قِيَاسٌ , (IAmb, S, A, Msb, K,) which is more agreeable with analogy than قسىّ . (TA.) The dim. is قُوَيْسٌ , (IAmb, M, Msb, K,) without ة , contr. to rule, as the word is fem., (M, TA,) and قُوَيْسَةٌ , (IAmb, Msb, K,) sometimes: (IAmb, Msb:) or the former accord. to those who make قوس to be masc., (S,) and the latter accord. to those who make it to be fem. (S, Msb.) It is prefixed to another word to give it a special signification. Thus you say, قَوْسُ نَبْلٍ An Arabian bow. And قَوْسُ نُشَّابٍ A Persian bow. And قَوْسُ حُسْبَانٍ [A bow for shooting a certain kind of short arrows]. And قَوْسُ جُلَاهِقٍ [A cross-bow]. And قَوْسُ نَدْفٍ [A bow for loosening and separating cotton]. (Msb.) [Hence the saying,] فُلَانٌ لَا يَمُدُّ قَوْسَهُ أَحَدٌ [Such a one, no one will pull his bow;] i. e., no one will vie with him, or compete with him. (A, TA.) And رَمَوْنَا عَنْ قَوْسٍ وَاحِدٍ , (A, TA,) or وَاحِدَةٍ , (Mgh,) [lit., They shot at us from one bow: meaning, they were unanimous against us;] a proverb denoting agreement. (Mgh.) [In the Msb, رَمَوْهُمْ and وَاحِدَةٍ .] And هُوَ مِنْ خَيْرِ قُوَيْسٍ سَهْمًا ; (S, L, K; except that in the L and K, for قويس , we find قَوْسٍ ;) [He is of the best of a little bow, as an arrow; i. e., he is one of the best arrows of a little bow;] or صَارَ خَيْرَ قُوَيْسٍ سَهْمًا (A, K) [He became the best of a little bow, as an arrow; i. e., he became the best arrow of a little bow:] a proverb [See Arab. Prov. i. 718] applied to him who has become mighty after being of mean condition: (A:) or to him who opposeth thee and then returns to doing what thou likest. (A, K.) [Hence also the phrase in the Kur, liii. 9,] فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ And he was at the distance of two Arabian bows: or two cubits [this is app. an explanation by one who holds قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ to be for قَابَىَ قَوْسٍ :] (K:) or the meaning is, قَابَىْ قَوْسٍ , i. e., [at the distance of the measure of] the two portions between the part of a bow that is grasped by the hand and each of the curved extremities. (TA.) See also art. قوب . القَوْسُ [The Sign of Sagittarius; also called الرَّامِى ;] one of the signs of the zodiac; (S, K;) namely, the ninth thereof. (TA.) قَوْسُ قُزَحَ The rainbow: the two words are inseparable. (TA.) See قزح . قَوْسُ الرَّجُلِ The bowed, or bent, part of the back of a man. (IAar.) أَقْوَاسُ البَعِيِر The anterior ribs of the camel. (A.) Also قَوْسٌ What remains, of dates, (S, A, * K,) in the [receptacle called] جُلَّة , (S,) or in the bottom thereof, (K,) or in the sides thereof, like a bow: (A:) or, accord. to Zeyd Ibn-Kuthweh, the fourth part of the جُلَّة , of dates; like رِزْمَةٌ : (TA in art. رزم :) in this sense, also, it is fem.: or a number of dates collected together: pl. as above. (TA in the present art.) Also, A cubit: (S, K:) sometimes used in this sense: (S:) because a thing is measured ( يُقَاسُ ) with it. (K.)