maṣdarكَوْدٌ كَيْدٌmuḍāriʿيَكَادُ
Core sense — he was near to doing so, he almost did so; he desiredgenerated
1.1he was near to doing so, he almost did so; he intended doing so, but did not do it—زَالَ
[originally كَوِدَ] First person كِدْتُ in the usage of most of the Arabs, the form used by all the Arabs, or يَكُودُ [is also used, by some of those who make the past tense to be originally كَوُدَ].
Maṣdar كَوْدٌ, كَادٌ, مَكَادَةٌ, مَكَادٌ, and كَادَ, originally كَوُدَ, departing from constant rule.
First person كُدْتُ in the dialect of the Benoo-'Adee, mentioned by Sb as heard from some of the Arabs, departing from constant rule, [and يَكُودُ mentioned above, agreeing with rule.]
Also كَادَ, originally كَيِدَ, first person كِدْتُ and كِيدَ, a form mentioned by Abu-l-Khattáb to Sb as used by some of the Arabs, who in the same way said مَا زِيلَ يَفْعَلُ كَذَا for كَادَ.
كَادَ is used of being near to doing a thing, whether the thing is afterwards done or not.
Without a negative it states the negation of the action; joined with a negative it states that the action happened. [This is explained in what follows.]
It is, as Es-Suyootee says in the Itkán, an incomplete [that is, a non-attributive] verb, of which only the past tense and the muḍāriʿ are used. Its subject is a noun in the nominative, and its predicate a muḍāriʿ, generally without أَنْ.
Sometimes أَنْ is introduced after it, likening it to عَسَى, as in the saying of Ru-beh: [It had nearly come to nothing from length of wear]
shāhidقَدْ كَادَ مِنْ طُولِ البِلَى أَنْ يَمْصَحَا
.
Used affirmatively, it affirms the being near to doing a thing; used negatively, it denies it.
Many hold the well-known opinion that used affirmatively it is negative, and used negatively affirmative: so كَادَ زَيْدٌ يَفْعَلُ means [Zeyd was near to doing, but] he did not do it, or did not do it at once, as is shown by وَإِنْ كَادُوا لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ [And they were near to seducing you] [in the Kur 17:75, where إِنْ is a contraction of إِنَّ]; and مَا كَادَ يَفْعَلُ means [He was not near to doing, but] he did it, as is shown by وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ [And they were not near to doing it, but they afterwards did it] [in the Kur 2:66].
I'Ab is related to have said that wherever كَادَ, أَكَادُ, and يَكَادُ occur in the Kur-án they denote a thing's never happening.
Some say that كَادَ [with a negative] denotes an action's happening with difficulty.
Others say that the past tense preceded by a negative affirms the action, as is shown by وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ [quoted above], and that the muḍāriʿ preceded by a negative is negative, as is shown by لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا [in the Kur 24:40], meaning he is not near to seeing it, that is, he sees nothing; though this phrase is said to bear a different meaning, given below.
But the correct opinion is the first one: used affirmatively it affirms the being near to doing a thing, and used negatively it denies it. So كَادَ يَفْعَلُ means he was near to doing, but did not do it, or did not do it at once; and مَا كَادَ يَفْعَلُ means he was not near to doing, much less did he do it, since the denial of the action, or of its immediate performance, follows necessarily from the denial of being near to do it.
As for وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ [quoted above], it states the condition of the people it concerns at the beginning of their case, for they were far from sacrificing the cow; the affirmation of the action is understood only from the preceding فَذَبَحُوهَا.
And as for لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ [in the Kur 17:76], meaning [You had certainly been near to inclining to them], the Prophet's not inclining to them, little or much, is understood from the preceding لَوْلَا, which requires this inference.
[Often, however, or as some say generally, with a negative before or after it, it affirms that the action happened, but only after difficulty or delay.]
Aboo-Bekr says that مَا كَادَ فُلَانٌ يَقُومُ means [such a one hardly, or scarcely, or slowly, rose, like لَمْ يَكَدْ يَقُومُ and كَادَ لَا يَقُومُ, with وَقَدْ قَامَ understood; or] he rose after being slow; and according to Az and others, مَا كِدْتُ أَفْعَلُ means [I hardly, or scarcely, or slowly, did it; or] I did it after being slow, though sometimes it means I was not near to doing it.
It is said that كَادَ is sometimes a merely redundant connective of the parts of a sentence (Kutr, Akh, AHát), as in لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا [quoted above], meaning he does not see it; or it means he is not near to seeing it; or, as some say, he sees it after having been not near to seeing it because of the intenseness of the darkness; [or he hardly, or scarcely, or slowly, sees it.]
Fr says, with reference to the verse in which this phrase occurs, that it is allowable to say لَمْ يَكَدْ يَقُومُ [meaning, he hardly, or scarcely, or slowly, rose] when someone has risen after difficulty.
[So مَا كَادَ يَفْعَلُ and لَمْ يَكَدْ يَفْعَلُ sometimes mean he hardly, or scarcely, or slowly, did; and sometimes he was not near to doing, he never did, he did not at all: so it may be rendered he hardly or scarcely, or in no way or never, did; or he could hardly do, or could not at all, or could not nearly, or could in no way do.]
Qur’ān 17:73 approximate — somewhere between 17:60 and 17:80 Lane cites “Kur xvii. 75”
Qur’ān 2:71 matched to Lane’s own quotation of it Lane cites “Kur ii. 66”
Qur’ān 17:74 approximate — somewhere between 17:60 and 17:80 Lane cites “Kur xvii. 76”
Qur’ān 17:73 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root
وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِىَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُۥ ۖ وَإِذًا لَّٱتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًاAnd their purpose was to tempt thee away from that which We had revealed unto thee, to substitute in our name something quite different; (in that case), behold! they would certainly have made thee (their) friend!Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
1.1.1I will not do that, nor will I be near to doing it—لَا أَفْعَلُ ذٰلِكَ وَلَا كَوْدًا
As states that he heard some of the Arabs say this.
1.1.2he desired—كَادَ
Some of the Arabs make كاد denote certainty, like ظَنَّ, which primarily denotes doubt and secondarily certainty.
Synonymous with أَرَادَ.
I desire to conceal it—أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا
So in the verse: [She desired, and I desired; and that would be the best of desire, if what has passed, of the diverting delight of tender love, returned]
shāhidكَادَتْ وَكِدْتُ وَتِلْكَ خَيْرُ إِرَادَةٍلَوْ عَادَ مِنْ لَهْوِ الصَّبَابَةِ مَا مَضَى
.
In the saying in the Kur 20:15; or the meaning is: I desire to manifest it. Beyd.
Just as أُرِيدُ may be put in the place of أَكَادُ, as in the saying in the Kur 18:76, جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ, so اكاد may be used [in the place of اريد].
Akh says that the words of this verse mean I will conceal it, أُخْفِيهَا; and some say the meaning is I will manifest it; but most hold that اكاد should be taken here in its original sense.
1.1.3he has become acquainted with what is desired of him—عَرَفَ مَا يُكَادُ مِنْهُ
Explained in the same way.
1.1.4no, nor do I desire, nor do I intend—لَا وَلَا مَكَادَةَ وَلَا مَهَمَّةَ
Said to someone who asks you for a thing when you do not want to give it to him.
Also لَا كَوْدًا وَلَا هَمًّا and لَا مَكَادًا وَلَا مَهَمًّا, that is, لَا أَكَادُ وَلَا أَهُمُّ.
1.1.5I have no purpose or intention, nor any desire—لَا مَهَمَّةَ لِى وَلَا مَكَادَةَ
Said in the same sense.
1.1.6
See also كَادَ in art. كيد.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 5 shown of 24
17:74
وَلَوْلَآ أَن ثَبَّتْنَـٰكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْـًٔا قَلِيلًاAnd had We not given thee strength, thou wouldst nearly have inclined to them a little.
20:15
إِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ ءَاتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ"Verily the Hour is coming - My design is to keep it hidden - for every soul to receive its reward by the measure of its Endeavour.
37:56
قَالَ تَٱللَّهِ إِن كِدتَّ لَتُرْدِينِHe said: "By Allah! thou wast little short of bringing me to perdition!
43:52
أَمْ أَنَا۠ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ"Am I not better than this (Moses), who is a contemptible wretch and can scarcely express himself clearly?
72:19
وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا۟ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا"Yet when the Devotee of Allah stands forth to invoke Him, they just make round him a dense crowd."
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
, (S, K, * &c,) [originally كَوِدَ ,] first pers. كِدْتُ , accord. to the usage of most of the Arabs, (IKtt,) aor. يَكَادُ , (S, K, &c.,) the form used by all the Arabs, (IKtt.) or يَكُودُ [is also used, by some of those who make the pret. to be originally كَوُدَ ], (Lth,) inf. n. كَوْدٌ (Lth, S, M, K, &c) and كَادٌ (M, IKtt) and مَكَادَةٌ (Lth, S, M, K, &c.) and مَكَادٌ ; (Lth, M, K;) and كَادَ , originally كَوُدَ , deviating from constant rule, (MF,) first pers. كُدْتُ , (S, IKtt, MF,) in the dial. of the Benoo-'Adee, (MF,) mentioned by Sb as heard from some of the Arabs, (S,) aor. يَكَادُ , (IKtt,) deviating from constant rule, (MF,) [and يَكُودُ , mentioned above, agreeably with rule;] as also كَادَ , (Msb, K, art. كيد ,) originally كَيِدَ , first pers. كِدْتُ , aor. يَكَادُ , (Msb, art. كيد ,) inf. n. كَيْدٌ ; (L, art. كيد ;) and كِيدَ , (S, K, &c.,) a form mentioned by Abu-l-Khattáb to Sb, as used by some of the Arabs, who in like manner said مَا زِيلَ يَفْعَلُ كَذَا , for كَادَ and زَالَ ; (S;) He was near to doing so; he nearly, well nigh, or almost, did so; he wanted but little of doing so; (Akh, S, M, K, &c.;) he purposed, or intended, doing so; (Lth, M, IKtt;) but did it not, [or did it not immediately]. (Akh, S, K, &c.) كَادَ is applied to signify the being near to doing a thing whether it be [afterwards] done or not done. (S.) Without a negative, it enunciates the negation of the action; and coupled with a negative, it enunciates the happening of the action. (S, K.) [This will be explained in the course of the following observations.] It is (as Es-Suyootee says in the Itkán) an incomplete [i. e. a non-attributive] verb, of which only the pret. and aor. are used. It has a noun as the subject, in the nom. case; and an aor., [generally] without أَنْ , as the predicate. (TA.) Sometimes they introduce أَنْ after it, likening it to عَسَى ; as, for ex., in the saying of Ru-beh, 1 [It had nearly come to nought from length of wear]. (S.) Used affirmatively, it is affirmative of the being near [to doing a thing, &c.]; and used negatively, it is negative thereof. It is a well-known opinion of many, that, used affirmatively, it is negative; and used negatively, it is affirmative: so that كَادَ زَيْدٌ يَفْعَلُ means [Zeyd was near to doing; but] he did not [or did not immediately]; as is shown by the expression [in the Kur xvii. 75, where إِنْ is a contraction of إِنَّ ,] وَإِنْ كَادُوا لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ [And verily they were near to seducing thee]: and مَا كَادَ يَفْعَلُ means [He was not near to doing; but] he did; as is shown by the expression [in the Kur ii. 66,] وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ [And they were not near to doing (it); but they afterwards did (it)]. I'Ab is related to have said, that wherever كَادَ and أَكَادُ and يَكَادُ occur in the Kur-án, they denote a thing's never happening. Some say, that كَادَ [with a negative] denotes an action's happening with difficulty. Some, again, say, that the pret. preceded by a negative is affirmative [of the action &c.]; as is shown by the expression وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ [quoted above]: and that the aor. preceded by a negative is negative; as is shown by the expression [in the Kur xxiv, 40,] لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا [He is not near to seeing it]; meaning that he sees not anything: [though this phrase is said to bear a different meaning, which see below]. But the correct opinion is the one first mentioned; that, used affirmatively, it is affirmative [of the being near to do a thing &c.]; and used negatively, it is negative [thereof]: so that كَادَ يَفْعَلُ signifies He was near to doing; but did not [or did not immediately]: and مَا كَادَ يَفْعَلُ He was not near to doing; much less did he do [or do immediately]; the denial of the action [or of the immediate performance of the action] being necessarily understood from the denial of the being near to do it. As to the expression in the Kur, وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ [quoted above], it enunciates the state of the people to whom it relates in the beginning of their case; for they were far from sacrificing the cow; and the affirmation of the action is understood only from the [preceding] expression فَذَبَحُوهَا . And as to the expression [in the Kur xvii. 76,] لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ [Thou hadst certainly been near to inclining to them], the Prophet's not inclining to them little or much is understood from لَوْلَا [preceding], which requires this inference. (TA.) [Often, however, or (as some say) generally, with a negative preceding or following it, it is affirmative of the action's happening, but only after difficulty, or delay.] Aboo-Bekr says, that مَا كَادَ فُلَانٌ يَقُومُ means [Such a one hardly, or scarcely, or tardily, rose; like لَمْ يَكَدْ يَقُومُ , and كَادَ لَا يَقُومُ ; وَقَدْ قَامَ being understood; or] he rose after being slow, or tardy: (L:) and accord. to Az and others, مَا كِدْتُ أَفْعَلُ means [I hardly, or scarcely, or tardily, did; or] I did after being slow, or tardy: but sometimes it means I was not near to doing. (Msb, art. كيد .) It is said, that كَادَ is sometimes a [mere redundant] connective ( صِلَة ) of the members of a sentence; (Kutr, Akh, AHát, K;) as in لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا [quoted above], meaning, He does not see it: (K:) or this means he is not near to seeing it: or, as some say, he sees it after his having been not near to seeing it by reason of the intenseness of the darkness: [or he hardly, or scarcely, or tardily, sees it:] and Fr says, with reference to the verse in which this phrase occurs, that it is allowable to say لَمْ يَكَدْ يَقُومُ [meaning, He hardly, or scarcely, or tardily, rose] when one has risen after difficulty. (TA.) [Thus it appears, that, مَا كَادَ يَفْعَلُ and لَمْ يَكَدْ يَفْعَلُ sometimes signify He hardly, or scarcely, or tardily, did: and sometimes, he was not near to doing; he never did; he did not at all: so that it may be rendered he hardly or scarcely, or nowise or in nowise or never, did: or he could hardly do, or he could not at all, or could not nearly, or he could nowise or in nowise, do.] قَدْ كَادَ مِنْ طُولِ البِلَى أَنْ يَمْصَحَا As asserts his having heard certain of the Arabs say, لَا أَفْعَلُ ذٰلِكَ وَلَا كَوْدًا [I will not do that, nor will I be near to doing it]. (S.) كَادَ also signifies He desired; syn. أَرَادَ . (Akh, S, K.) So in the verse 1 [She desired, and I desired; and that were the best of desire, if what hath passed, of the diverting delight of tender love, returned]. (Akh, S.) So, too, in the saying in the Kur [xx. 15,] أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا I desire (S, K) to conceal it: or, to manifest it: (Beyd:) for, like as it is allowable to put أُرِيدُ in the place of أَكَادُ , as in the saying in the Kur [xviii. 76,] جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ , so it is to use اكاد [in the place of اريد ]: Akh says, that the words of the verse in question mean I will conceal it, أُخْفِيهَا : and some say, that the meaning is I will manifest it: (TA:) but most hold, that اكاد should here be rendered in its original sense. (MF, TA.) Some of the Arabs make كاد to denote certainty; like ظَنَّ , which primarily denotes doubt, and secondarily certainty. (L, art. كيد .) كَادَتْ وَكِدْتُ وَتِلْكَ خَيْرُ إِرَادَةٍ | لَوْ عَادَ مِنْ لَهْوِ الصَّبَابَةِ مَا مَضَى عَرَفَ مَا يُكَادُ مِنْهُ [is in like manner explained] He hath become acquainted with that which is desired of him. (S, K.) You say to him who seeks of you a thing, when you do not desire to give him it, لَا وَلَا مَكَادَةَ وَلَا مَهَمَّةَ , (Lth, S, * L, K, *) and لَا كَوْدًا وَلَا هَمًّا , and لَا مَكَادًا وَلَا مَهَمًّا , (Lth, L,) i. e. لَا أَكَادُ وَلَا أَهُمُّ [No, nor do I desire, nor do I purpose, or intend]. (Lth, L, K.) You also say, in the same sense, لَا مَهَمَّةَ لِى وَلَا مَكَادَةَ [I have no purpose or intention, nor any desire]. (S) See also كَادَ in art. كيد .