Classical Arabic - English Dictionary

جَاسَ, aor. يَجُوسُ, (Ṣ, TA,) inf. n. جَوْسٌ, (A, Ḳ,) He sought for, or after, (Zj, Ṣ, A, Ḳ,) a thing, (Zj, A, Ḳ,) or news, or tidings, (Ṣ,) with the utmost of his endeavour. (Zj, A, Ḳ.)

[Hence,] جَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ, (Ṣ, A,) in the Ḳur [xvii. 5], (TA,) inf. n. as above, (Ṣ, A, Ḳ,) They went through the midst of the houses (تَخَلَّلُوهَا), and sought for what was in them, as a man seeks for news, or tidings; as alsoاجتاسوا↓: (Ṣ:) or they went to and fro among the houses, in a sudden attack: (A, Ḳ:) or the meaning in the Ḳur is, they slew you amid your houses; and حَاسُوا signifies the same; going and coming: (Fr, TA:) and, inf. n. as above, (Ḳ,) and جَوَسَانٌ, (Ṣ, Ḳ,) they went round about (Zj, Ṣ, A, Ḳ) by night, (Ṣ,) among the houses, (Zj, A, Ḳ,) looking if any remained whom they had not slain, (Zj, TA,) or doing mischief: (A:) andاِجْتِيَاسٌ↓ signifies the same as جَوَسَانٌ, (Ḳ, TA,) the going round about by night. (TA.)

جِيسَ also signifies It (anything) was trodden: جَوْسٌ is said to be like دَوْسٌ: (TA:) and you say, جَآءَ فُلَانٌ يَجُوسُ النَّاسَ Such a one came stepping over the people; syn. يَتَخَطَّاهُمْ. (A, TA.*) And accord. to A' Obeyd, جُسْتُهُ and حُسْتُهُ both signify I came into it, and trod it; (خَالَطْتُهُ وَوَطِئْتُهُ;) meaning, any place. (TA.) You say also, جَاسَهُمُ الأَسَدُ The lion trod upon them: or came into the midst of them, and did mischief among them. (TA; [in which the inf. n. of the verb in this sense is said to be جَوْسٌ and جَوْسَآءُ: but the latter is probably a mistranscription for جَوَسَانٌ.])

جَوَّاسٌ One who treads upon everything: or who comes into the midst of a people, and does mischief among them. (TA.)

Hence, (TA,) The lion. (Ḳ, TA.) And in like manner it is applied to a man. (TA.)