Core sense — he was, it wasgenerated
1.1Zeyd was standing—كَانَ زَيْدٌ قَائِمًا
He, or it, was. A verb of the class called incomplete, because, with the agent it includes or relates to, it cannot form a complete proposition; that is, it is non-attributive.
The other verbs of this class are ظَلَّ أَضْحَى أَمْسَى أَصْبَحَ صَارَ, مَا دَامَ مَاٱنْفَكَّ مَا فَتِئَ مَابَرِحَ مَا زَالَ بَاتَ and لَيْسَ.
Each of these puts its noun, or subject, in the nominative and its khabar, or predicate, in the accusative.
1.1.1
The ن in يَكُنْ and the like is often elided irregularly.
1.1.2
كَانَ, stripped of any sense of time, is often used as a copula. (See De Sacy's Gr. Ar. 1. 196.)
So too is كَائِنٌ; for هٰذَا زَيْدٌ and هٰذَا كَائِنٌ زَيْدًا mean the same. (Mughnee, under أَنَّ.)
1.1.3
For كَانَ as a complete, that is, attributive, verb, see حَصَلَ, in three places.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 4 shown of 1149
15:93
عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَFor all their deeds.
20:35
إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا"For Thou art He that (ever) regardeth us."
37:167
وَإِن كَانُوا لَيَقُولُونَAnd there were those who said,
68:14
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَBecause he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
Ayaat examples are given related to the entry.
Show Lane's original text
He or it was. A verb of the class called incomplete, ( نَاقِصٌ ) because, with the agent which it comprises, or to which it relates, it cannot constitute a complete proposition; i. e., non-attributive. The other verbs of this class are, ظَلَّ أَضْحَى أَمْسَى أَصْبَحَ صَارَ , مَا دَامَ مَاٱنْفَكَّ مَا فَتِئَ مَابَرِحَ مَا زَالَ بَاتَ , and لَيْسَ . Each of these governs its noun, or subject, in the nom. case, and its enunciative, or predicate, in the acc. case; as, كَانَ زَيْدٌ قَائِمًا Zeyd was standing. (The ن in يَكُنْ and the like is often irregularly elided.) كَانَ , divested of all signification of time. is often used as a copula. (See De Sacy 's Gr. Ar. i. 196.) So too is كَائِنٌ ; for هٰذَا زَيْدٌ and هٰذَا كَائِنٌ زَيْدًا signify the same. (Mughnee, voce أَنَّ .) كَانَ as a complete, i. e., an attributive, verb, see حَصَلَ . in three places.