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مثل

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Form 1مَثَلَ2 senses · 1 main
muḍāriʿـُيَفْعُلُmaṣdarمُثُولٌ مُثْلَةٌ

Core sense — he stood erect; he mutilated, or castrated, himgenerated

1.1he stood erect before him—بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ

.

1.1.1he mutilated him, he castrated him—مَثَلَ بِهِ

.

Said of a sheep or goat; mentioned in art. دجن, from a tradition.

Show Lane's original text
aor. مَثُلَ , inf. n. مُثُولٌ ; (S, M, K, &c.;) and مَثُلَ ; (M, K;) He stood erect; (S, M, K, &c.;) بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ before him. (S, &c.) مَثَلَ بِهِ , inf. n. مُثْلَةٌ , He mutilated him; castrated him; namely, a sheep or goat. (TA in art. دجن , from a trad.)
Form 2مَثَّلَ2 senses · 1 main

Core sense — he likened one thing to another, he made a likeness of itgenerated

2.1

See a verse of Kutheiyir in art. رود, Form 4.

2.1.1

For مَثَّلَهُ, see شَبَّهَهُ.

Show Lane's original text
: see a verse of Kutheiyir in art. رود , conj. 4. مَثَّلَهُ : see شَبَّهَهُ .
Form 3مَاثَلَهُ1 sense

Core sense — he resembled him, he was like himgenerated

3.1

Same as شَابَهَهُ.

Show Lane's original text
i. q. شَابَهَهُ . (TA.)
Form 4أَمْثَلَهُ2 senses · 1 main

Core sense — he set it up, he set up a butt or markgenerated

4.1

He set it up: from مَثَلَ, "he stood erect."

4.1.1

He set up a butt, or mark. See an example under غَرَضٌ.

Show Lane's original text
He set it up: from مَثَلَ “ he stood erect. ” He set up a butt or mark: see an ex. voce غَرَضٌ .
Form 5تَمَثَّلَ بِكَذَا3 senses · 1 main

Core sense — he imitated such a thing; he used a verse as a proverbgenerated

5.1

[He affected to be like, or imitated, such a thing;] same as تَشَبَّهَ بِهِ, in art. شبه.

5.1.1he used, or applied, the verse as a proverb—تَمَثَّلَ البَيْتَ
he used, or applied, the verse as a proverb—بِالبَيْتِ

This is the more common form.

5.1.2

See تَشَبَّهَ.

Qur’ānic occurrences Form 5
19:17
فَٱتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا

She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

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
[He affected to be like, or imitated, such a thing;] i. q. تَشَبَّهَ بِهِ . (TA, art. شبه .) تَمَثَّلَ البَيْتَ and [more commonly] بِالبَيْتِ He used, or applied, the verse as a proverb, or proverbially. (MA.) See تَشَبَّهَ .
Form 6تَمَاثَلَ2 senses · 1 main

Core sense — he became nearly sound, or healthy; he neared recoverygenerated

6.1

He became nearly in a sound, or healthy, state; near to recovery. Or: he became more like the sound, or healthy, than the unsound, who is suffering from a chronic, spreading disease; or تماثل لِلْبُرْءِ has that meaning.

Said also of a wound, and of a disease, like أَشْكَلَ.

6.1.1

تَمَاثَلَا is the same as تَشَابَهَا, in art. سوى.

Show Lane's original text
He became nearly in a sound, or healthy, state; or near to convalescence: (K:) or he became more like the sound, or healthy, than the unsound, or unhealthy, who is suffering from a chronic and pervading disease; (TA;) or so تماثل لِلْبُرْءِ . (M.) Said also of a wound: (T, S in art. دمل :) and of a disease; like أَشْكَلَ . (TA, art. شكل .) تَمَاثَلَا i. q. تَشَابَهَا . (M, K in art. سوى .)
Form 8اِمْتَثَلَ أَمْرَهُ1 sense

Core sense — he followed his command, he obeyed his ordergenerated

8.1

He followed his command, or bidding; he did as he was commanded; he obeyed his order.

Show Lane's original text
He followed his command, order, bidding, or injunction; did like as he commanded, ordered, &c.; (Mgh;) he obeyed his command, order, &c. (Msb.)

Derived nouns 5

Nounمِثْلٌ4 senses · 1 main

Core sense — a like, a match, a fellow; a likeness; an equivalent, a requitalgenerated

1

A like; a similar person or thing; a match; a fellow; an analogue.

See نِدٌّ and بَدَلٌ.

1.1

A likeness, resemblance, or semblance.

See شَبَهٌ.

1.2

An equivalent; a requital.

1.3he passed like the lightning—مَرَّ مِثْلَ البَرْقِ

مِثْلَ, used as a denotative of state, means "like."

See an example in the Qur'ān 51:23, and another, from Sakhr-el-Gheí, under فَرْضٌ.

Qur’ān 51:23 approximate — somewhere between 51:13 and 51:41 Lane cites “Kur li. 23”
Qur’ān 51:23 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root
فَوَرَبِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُۥ لَحَقٌّ مِّثْلَ مَآ أَنَّكُمْ تَنطِقُونَ

Then, by the Lord of heaven and earth, this is the very Truth, as much as the fact that ye can speak intelligently to each other.Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)

Qur’ānic occurrences مِثْل 4 shown of 74
23:81
بَلْ قَالُوا۟ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ

On the contrary they say things similar to what the ancients said.

36:42
وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ

And We have created for them similar (vessels) on which they ride.

37:61
لِمِثْلِ هَـٰذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ ٱلْعَـٰمِلُونَ

For the like of this let all strive, who wish to strive.

89:8
ٱلَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ

The like of which were not produced in (all) the land?

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
A like; a similar person or thing; match; fellow; an analogue. (K, &c.) See نِدٌّ and voce بَدَلٌ . A likeness, resemblance, or semblance; see شَبَهٌ . An equivalent; a requital. مِثْلَ , used as a denotative of state, means Like. Ex. مَرَّ مِثْلَ البَرْقِ He passed like the lightning. See an ex. in the Kur li. 23; and another, from Sakhr-el-Gheí, voce فَرْضٌ .
Nounمَثَلٌ4 senses · 1 main

Core sense — a description by way of comparison, a similitude; a condition or stategenerated

1the description of Zeyd, by way of comparison, is that of such a one—مثل زيد مثل فلان

Same as صِفَةٌ [as meaning a description, condition, state, case], or وَصْفٌ [meaning the same]; or that is a mistake (Mbr). Or it may be a figurative meaning: in the language of the Arabs it means a description by way of comparison.

The phrase given here is more literally and better rendered: the similitude of Zeyd is the similitude, or is that, of such a one; for a similitude is a description by way of comparison.

It is from المِثاَلُ and الحَذْوُ (Mbr).

It is applied metaphorically to a condition, state, or case that is important, strange, or wonderful.

Lane cites “Bd in ii. 16” — a commentary, not the verse; no modern number is given
1.1he made it descriptive, by way of comparison, of such a thing—جَعَلَهُ مَثَلًا لِكَذَا

Said of an expression or the like.

[And مَثَلٌ لِكَذَا means an expression denoting, by way of similitude, such a thing.]

1.2as indicative of resemblance to something—عَلَى المَثَلِ
1.3

See بَدَلٌ.

Qur’ānic occurrences مَثَل 4 shown of 70
25:39
وَكُلًّا ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ ۖ وَكُلًّا تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِيرًا

To each one We set forth Parables and examples; and each one We broke to utter annihilation (for their sins).

43:8
فَأَهْلَكْنَآ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُم بَطْشًا وَمَضَىٰ مَثَلُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

So We destroyed (them)- stronger in power than these;- and (thus) has passed on the Parable of the peoples of old.

43:56
فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلًا لِّلْـَٔاخِرِينَ

And We made them (a people) of the Past and an Example to later ages.

56:23
كَأَمْثَـٰلِ ٱللُّؤْلُؤِ ٱلْمَكْنُونِ

Like unto Pearls well-guarded.

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
i. q. صِفَةٌ [as meaning A description, condition, state, case, &c.]; (S, K, &c.;) or وَصْفٌ [meaning the same]: (Msb:) or this is a mistake: (Mbr, AAF, TA:) or it may be a tropical signification: (MF, TA:) for in the language of the Arabs it means a description by way of comparison: (AAF, TA:) you say مثل زيد مثل فلان [The description of Zeyd, by way of comparison, or the condition, &c., is that of such a one]: it is from المِثاَلُ and الحَذْوُ : (Mbr, TA:) it is metaphorically applied to a condition, state, or case, that is important, strange, or wonderful. (Ksh, Bd in ii. 16.) The phrase here given is more literally, and better, rendered, The similitude of Zeyd is the similitude, or is that, of such a one; for a similitude is a description by way of comparison. You say also, جَعَلَهُ مَثَلًا لِكَذَا [He made it (an expression or the like) to be descriptive, by way of comparison, of such a thing]. (TA passim.) [And مَثَلٌ لِكَذَا means An expression denoting, by way of similitude, such a thing.] عَلَى المَثَلِ As indicative of resemblance to something. See بَدَلٌ .
Nounمِثَالٌ3 senses · 1 main

Core sense — a model, or pattern, according to which a thing is madegenerated

1

Quality, make, manner, fashion, and form; a model according to which another thing is made or proportioned; a pattern, مِقْدَارٌ, by which a thing is measured, proportioned, or cut out; an example of a class of words, of a rule, and the like.

1.1[without there having been any precedent]—مِنْ غَيْرِ سَبْقِ مِثاَلٍ

In art. قرح and elsewhere.

1.2the daughters of the bed, meaning women—بَناَتُ المِثَالِ

[A bed.]

In art. بنى.

Show Lane's original text
Quality, made, manner, fashion, and form; (Msb;) a model according to which another thing is made or proportioned; a pattern, ( مِقْدَارٌ ) by which a thing is measured, proportioned, or cut out: (T:) an example of a class of words, of a rule, &c. مِنْ غَيْرِ سَبْقِ مِثاَلٍ [Without there having been any precedent]. (Msb in art. قرح , &c.) [A bed:] بَناَتُ المِثَالِ The daughters of the bed; meaning women. (T in art. بنى .)
Nounجَوْزُ مَاثِلٍ1 sense

Core sense — the thorn-apple, or daturagenerated

1

See جَوْزٌ.

Show Lane's original text
: see جَوْزٌ .
Nounتَمَاثِيلُ1 sense

Core sense — images, likenesses, figuresgenerated

1

In the following hemistich of Ibn-Aḥmar

shāhid
تَمَاثِيلُ قِرْطَاسٍ عَلَى هَبْهَبِيَّةٍ

it signifies كُتُبٌ يَكْتُبُونَهَا.

Given under هَبْهَبِىٌّ, as meaning a "light, or active," camel.

Show Lane's original text
, in the following hemistich of Ibn-Ahmar, 1 signifies كُتُبٌ يَكْتُبُونَهَا . (L, in TA, voce هَبْهَبِىٌّ , as signifying a “ light, or active, ” camel.) تَمَاثِيلُ قِرْطَاسٍ عَلَى هَبْهَبِيَّةٍ