Core sense — a drinking-cup; a cup of wine; wine itselfgenerated
1figurative · مجازhe gave him a cup of abasement to drink—سَقَاهُ كَأْسًا مِنَ الذُّلِّ
كَاسٌ, with the ء dropped, is allowable, and sometimes occurs.
A drinking-cup; or [a cup of wine, i. e.] a cup containing wine, or a cup full of wine. When it contains no wine it is not called by this name, but قَدَحٌ. Or it has both the first and the second of these meanings.
As, AHát and Ibn-ʿAbbād: it means wine itself; or it has this meaning as well. It is of the feminine gender.
Plural, of paucity, أَكْؤُسٌ; of multitude, كُؤُوسٌ and كِئَاسٌ, the last with ء (but written without ء in the CK); and, according to AHn, كِيَاسٌ without ء, which, if correct, is originally كِوَاسٌ, from كَاسٌ, with the ء changed into ا as representing و, and كَاسَاتٌ without ء.
a cup of separation—مِنَ الفُرْقَةِ
a cup of death—مِنَ المَوْتِ
a cup of love—مِنَ الحُبِّ
he gave him the most bitter cup to drink—سَقَاهُ الكَأْسَ الأَمَرَّ
the cups of death—كُؤُوسَ المَنَايَا
It is used figuratively of every kind of disagreeable, hateful, or evil thing.
Meaning death.
Literally, deaths.
Az thinks it may be derived from كَاصَ فُلَانٌ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ, meaning “Such a one ate and drank much”, because ص and س are interchangeable in many words, their places of utterance being close together.
Qur’ānic occurrences كَأْس 1 shown of 6
78:34
وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًاAnd a cup full (to the brim).
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
, (ISk, S, A, Msb, K,) and كَاسٌ , with the ء suppressed, is allowable, (Msb,) and sometimes occurs, (TA,) A drinking-cup: (A, K:) or [a cup of wine; i. e.] a cup containing wine; (S, A, K;) or a cup full of wine: (Msb:) when not containing wine, it is not thus called; (IAar, S, Msb;) being in this case called قَدَحٌ : (TA:) or it has the first and the second of these significations: (TA:) or it signifies wine itself: (As, AHát, Ibn-'Abbád:) or has this signification also: (K:) and is of the fem. gender: (S, A, Msb, K:) pl. [of pauc.] أَكْؤُسٌ and [of mult.] كُؤُوسٌ and كِئَاسٌ , (S, Msb, K,) the last with ء , (TA, [but written without ء in the CK,]) and, accord. to AHn, كِيَاسٌ , without ء , which, if correct, is originally كِوَاسٌ , from كَاسٌ , with the ء changed into ا as representing و , (TA,) and كَاسَاتٌ , (K,) without ء . (TA.) It is used metaphorically in relation to every kind of disagreeable, hateful, or evil, things. Thus you say, سَقَاهُ كَأْسًا مِنَ الذُّلِّ [He gave him to drink a cup of abasement]: and مِنَ الفُرْقَةِ [of separation]: and مِنَ المَوْتِ [of death]: and مِنَ الحُبِّ [of love]. (TA.) You say also, سَقَاهُ الكَأْسَ الأَمَرَّ [He gave him to drink the most bitter cup]; meaning death: (A, TA:) and كُؤُوسَ المَنَايَا [The cups of death; lit., deaths]. (A.) Az. thinks that it may be derived from كَاصَ فُلَانٌ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ , meaning, “ Such a one ate and drank much ”; because ص and س are interchangeable in many words on account of the nearness of their places of utterance. (TA.)