Classical Arabic - English Dictionary

زَعَمَ, (Ṣ, Mṣb,) aor. ـُ {يَزْعُمُ}, (Mṣb, MṢ, JM, [not mentioned in the Ṣ nor in the Ḳ, app. because well known,]) inf. n. زَعْمٌ and زُعْمٌ and زعْمٌ, (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ,) the first of the dial. of El-Ḥijáz, (Mṣb, TA,) the second of the dial. of [the tribe of] Asad, (Mṣb,) or Benoo-Temeem, (TA,) and the third of the dial. of some of [the tribe of] Keys; (Mṣb;) [generally best rendered He asserted; for it mostly relates to a thing not certainly known: or] he said; (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ;) as in the phrases زَعَمَتِ الحَنَفِيَّةٌ [The Hanafees said or asserted, or have said or asserted,] and زَعَمَ سِيبَوَيْهِ [Seebaweyh said or asserted, or has said or asserted]; (Mṣb;) [and زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ كَذَا He said, or asserted, that it was thus;] either truly or falsely: (Ḳ:) mostly used in relation to a thing respecting which there is doubt, (Sh, Az, Mṣb, Ḳ,) and which is not certainly known: (Sh, Az, Mṣb:) or it is mostly used in relation to that which is false, or that respecting which there is doubt, or suspicion: (El-Marzookee, Mṣb:) or, as those skilled in the language of the Arabs say, in relation to a thing of which the speaker doubts, and does not know whether it may not be false: (Lth:) or زَعَمَ زَعْمًا means he related a piece of information not knowing whether it were true or false. (IḲooṭ, Mṣb.) Hence the saying, زَعَمَ مَطِيَّةُ الكَذِبِ [i. e. † زَعَمَ is the conveyer, or vehicle, (properly the camel, or beast, that serves as the conveyer,) of lying]. (Mṣb.) It is said in a trad., بِئْسَ مَطِيَّةُ الرَّجُلِ زَعَمُوا [† Very evil, or bad, is the man's conveyer زَعَمُوا]: i. e., when a man desires to journey to a country, or town, he mounts his camel, or beast, that serves to convey him, and journeys until he accomplishes the object of his want: therefore, that with which the speaker prefaces his speech, and by means of which he attains the object of his desire, when he says زَعَمُوا كَذَا وَكَذَا, is likened to the camel, or beast, by means of which he attains the object of want: for زَعَمُوا is [generally] said only in the case of a narration that has no authority whereon to rest, and that contains no proof. (TA.) IKh says that الزَّعْمُ is used in relation to that which is discommended; and that its primary signification is said by some of the expositors of the Ḳur-án to be The act of lying: (TA: [this signification is also given in the Ḳ, as being contr. to the first:]) some say that it is metonymically used in this sense: (Mṣb:) and it is expl. as having this meaning in the Ḳur [vi. 137], where it is said, فَقَالُوا هٰذَا لِلّٰهِ بِزَعْمِهِمْ, i. e. [And they have said, “This belongeth unto God,”] with their lying. (Lth, TA.)

[Sometimes] زَعَمَهُ signifies He described him, or it. (Ḥar p. 204.)

And sometimes زَعَمَ signifies He promised: whence the saying of ʼAmr Ibn-Sha-s,

* تَقُولُ هَلَكْنَا إِنْ هَلَكْتَ وَإِنَّمَا *

* عَلَى ٱللّٰهُ أَرْزَاقُ العِبَادِ كَمَا زَعَمْ *

[Thou sayest, or she says, “We perish if thou perish:” but verily upon God lie the means of subsistence of mankind, i. e. it lies upon Him to supply these, as He has promised]. (TA.)

الزَّعْمُ is used also in the sense of الظَّنُّ: (Mṣb, TA:) one says, فِى زَعْمِى كَذَا [In my opinion it is thus]. (Mṣb.) [Hence, likewise,] زَعَمْتَنِى كَذَا, (Ḳ,) aor. تَزْعُمُنِى, (TA,) Thou thoughtest me to be thus. (Ḳ, TA.) Aboo-Dhu-eyb says,

* فَإِنْ تُزْعُمِينِى كُنْتُ أَجْهَلُ فِيكُمُ *

* فَإِنِّى شَرَيْتُ الحِلْمَ بَعْدَكِ بِالجَهْلِ *

[And if thou think me such that I used to be ignorant, or to act ignorantly, among you, know that I have purchased intelligence since I was with thee (بَعْدَكِ being for بَعْدَ عَهْدِى بِكِ) in exchange for ignorance]. (TA. [The meaning of تزعمينى is there indicated by the context.])

It is also used in the sense of الاِعْتِقَادُ: whence the saying in the Ḳur [lxiv. 7], زَعَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُو أَنْ لَنْ يُبْعَثُوا [They who have disbelieved our revelations have believed, or firmly believed, that they shall not be raised from the dead]. (Mṣb.)

Sometimes, also, زَعَمَ is used in the sense of شَهِدَ: as in the saying of En-Nábighah,

* زَعَمَ الهُمَامُ بِأَنَّ فَاهَا بَارِدٌ *

[app. meaning The magnanimous chief bore witness that her mouth was cool]. (TA.)

زَعَمَ بِهِ, (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ,) aor. ـُ {يَزْعُمُ} (Ṣ, Mṣb) and ـَ {يَزْعَمُ}, (Mṣb,) inf. n. زَعْمٌ (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ) and زَعَامَةٌ, (Ṣ, Ḳ,) or the latter is a simple subst., (Mṣb,) He was, or became, responsible, answerable, amenable, surety, or guarantee, for it; (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ;) namely, property. (Mṣb.)

And زَعَمَ, like قَتَلَ, (Mṣb,) or زَعُمَ, like كَرُمَ, (TA,) aor. ـُ {يَزْعُمُ}, inf. n. زَعَامَةٌ, He was, or became, chief, lord, master, or prince, (Mṣb, TA,) of a people, (TA,) or عَلَى قَوْمٍ [over a people]; (Mṣb;) or spokesman of a people. (TA.)

See also 4, in two places.

زَعِمَ, aor. ـَ {يَزْعَمُ}, (Ṣ, Ḳ,) inf. n. زَعَمٌ (Ṣ, TA) and زَعْمٌ, (TA,) He coveted, or eagerly desired. (Ṣ, Ḳ.) [Like its syn. طَمِعَ, it is trans. by means of فِى.] One says,زَعِمَ فُلَانٌ فِى غَيْرِ مَزْعَمٍ↓, i. e. طَمِعَ فى غَيْرِ مَطْعَمٍ [Such a one coveted a thing not to be coveted; meaning, a thing of which the attainment was remote, or improbable: see art. طمع]. (TA.) And 'Antarah says,

* عُلِّقْتُهَا عَرَضًا وَأَقْتُلُ قَوْمَهَا *

* زَعَمًا لَعَمْرُ أَبِيكَ لَيْسَ بِمَزْعَمِ *

(Ṣ,) i. e. I became enamoured of her unintentionally, [or accidentally,] while I was slaying her people; eagerly desiring her love: by the life of thy father, I swear, this is not a [fit] occasion for eager desire: i. e. I can not attain to holding communion of love with thee, [or with her,] any day, while there is this conflict and hostility between the two tribes: (EM p. 222:) لَيْسَ بِمَزْعَمٍ meaning لَيْسَ بِمَطْمَعٍ: (Ṣ:) or, [as some relate it,]

* زَعْمًا وَرَبِّ البَيْتِ لَيْسَ بِمَزْعَمِ *

[eagerly desiring: by the Lord of the House (i. e. the Kaabeh), &c.]. (TA. [زَعْمًا is there expressly said to be thus: but the measure does not require its being so.])

زاعم, (Ḳ,) inf. n. مُزَاعَمَةٌ, (TA,) i. q. زَاحَمَ [q. v.]: (Ḳ:) the ع is a substitute for the ح. (TA.)

ازعم He made a person to be such as is termed زَعِيم; (Mṣb, TA;) as meaning responsible, answerable, amenable, surety, or guarantee. (Mṣb.) You say, أَزْعَمْتُكَ المَالَ, (Mṣb,) or الشَّىْءَ, (TA,) I made thee, or have made thee, responsible,, &c., (Mṣb, TA,*) [for the property, or the thing;] i. e. زَعِيمًا بِهِ. (Mṣb, TA.)

He made one to covet, or eagerly desire. (Ṣ, Ḳ.) You say, أَزْعَمْتُهُ. (Ṣ.) [And أَزْعَمْتُهُ فِى الشَّىْءِ I made him to covet, or eagerly desire, the thing; like as you say, أَطْمَعْتُهُ فِيهِ. See زَعِمَ.]

He obeyed (Ḳ, TA) the زَعِيم [i. e. chief, lord, or prince]. (TA.)

It (an affair) was, or became, possible. (Ḳ.)

It (milk) began to become good, or pleasant; [or fit to be drunk;] as alsoزَعَمَ↓, (Ḳ,) inf. n. زَعْمٌ. (TA.)

ازعمت said of a young she-camel, or of one full-grown, She was thought to have fat in her hump. (IKh, TA. [The TA states it to have been asserted by IKh that the verb is only used in this sense, or (for the passage is ambiguous) in this sense and the first mentioned above.])

Also, (Ḳ,) orزَعَمَتْ↓, (TA, [but this I think to be probably a mistranscription,]) said of the earth, or land, (الأَرْضُ,) It put forth the first of its plants, or herbage. (IAạr, Ḳ, TA.)

تزعّم i. q. تَكَذَّبَ [q. v.]: (Ṣ, Ḳ:) [it seems here to mean He spoke falsely; and to be trans.; for] a poet says,

* أَيُّهَا الزَّاعِمُ مَا تَزَعَّمَا *

[app. meaning O thou asserter of that which thou hast spoken falsely]. (TA. [This hemistich is there cited as an ex. of تزعّم as expl. in the Ḳ; and I find no other explanation of this verb.])

تَزَاعَمَا They two competed in discoursing of a thing, and differed respecting it: accord. to Z, it means they talked of, or related, زَعَمَات, i. e. [mere assertions, or] stories in which no confidence was to be placed. (TA.) Sh says that التَّزَاعُمُ is mostly used in relation to a thing respecting which there is doubt. (TA.)

One says also, تزاعم القَوْمُ, meaning The people, or party, became responsible, one for another: and hence, تزاعموا عَلَى كَذَا they leagued together, and aided one another, against such a thing. (TA.)

زُعْمٌ [originally an inf. n. of زَعَمَ, like زَعْمٌ and زِعْمٌ,] is a word used by the vulgar as meaning كِبْرٌ [i. e. Pride; and, as often used in the present day, pretension: because implying false, or vain, assertion]. (TA.)

زَعَمٌ andزَعَامَةٌ↓ Responsibility, answerableness, amenableness, or suretiship; substs. from زَعَمَ بِهِ: (Mṣb:) or the latter is an inf. n. (Ṣ, Ḳ.)

زَعِمٌ, applied to roasted meat, (Ḳ, TA,) Dripping with its gravy; or succulent, and dripping with its juice or fat; (TA;) having much grease, or gravy; quickly flowing [therewith] over the fire. (Ḳ.)

زَعْمَةٌ [inf. n. of un. of زَعَمَ; An assertion;, &c.: pl. زَعَمَاتٌ]. One says, هٰذَا وَلَا زَعْمَتَكَ and ولا زَعَمَاتِكَ [meaning This I think, and I think not to be true thine assertion and thine assertions]; أَتَوَهَّمُ being understood after لا: these words are used as meaning the rejection of what has been said by the person to whom they are addressed. (Ḳ, TA. [In the CK, erroneously, زَعْمَتِكَ and زَعْمَاتِكَ.]) They said also, زَعْمَةٌ صَادِقَةٌ لَآتِيَنَّكَ [i. e. It is a true assertion: I will assuredly come to thee]; using the nom. case: though they said, يَمِينًا صَادِقَةً لَأَفْعَلَنَّ [i. e. I swear “a true oath: I will assuredly do” such a thing]; using the accus. case. (Ks, TA.) And one says, تَحَادَثَا بِالزَّعَمَاتِ, meaning They two talked of, or related, each to the other, [mere assertions, or] stories in which no confidence was to be placed. (Z, TA.)

زُعْمِىٌّ (with damm, TA) Mendacious: and veracious: (Ḳ:) thus bearing two contr. significations. (TA.)

زَعُومٌ, a fem. epithet, (Ṣ, Ḳ, &c.,) applied to a she-camel, and to a sheep or goat, Of which one doubts whether there be in her fat or not, (Ṣ, Ḳ,) and which is therefore felt with the hands, in order that one may know if she be fat or lean: (Ṣ:) or a sheep or goat of which one knows not whether there be in her fat or not: (Aṣ, TA:) or, as some say, of which men assert that there is in her marrow. (TA.) And, as a fem. epithet, Having little fat: and having much fat: thus bearing two contr. senses: as alsoمُزْعَمَةٌ↓ [app. in both senses]: (M, Ḳ:) andمَزْعُومَةٌ↓ also signifies having little fat; of which people, when they eat of her, say to her owner, “Didst thou assert her to be fat?” applied to a she-camel. (TA.)

Also Impotent in speech; (Ḳ;) and soزُعْمُومٌ↓. (Ṣ,* Ḳ.)

زَعِيمٌ Responsible, answerable, amenable, surety, or guarantee. (Ṣ, Mṣb, Ḳ.) Hence, in the Ḳur [xii. 72], وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ [And I am responsible for it]. (TA.)

Also The chief, lord, master, or prince, or a people; (Mṣb, Ḳ;) or [in the CK “and”] their spokesman: (Ḳ:) their chief is thus called because he speaks for them; like as he is called قَيْلٌ and مِقْوَلٌ: (Ḥam p. 705:) pl. زُعَمَآءُ. (Ḳ.)

Also Described; syn. مَوْصُوفٌ. (Ḥar p. 204.)

زَعَامَةٌ: see زَعَمٌ.

Also High, or elevated, rank or condition or state; or nobility. (Ḳ.) And Chiefdom, lordship, mastery, or princedom: (IAạr, Ṣ, Ḳ:) [accord. to the Mṣb, an inf. n. in this sense:] thus expl. by IAạr as occurring in the following verse of Lebeed: (TA:)

* تَطِيرُ عَدَائِدُ الأَشْرَاكِ شَفْعًا *

* وَوِتْرًا وَالزَّعَامَةُ لِلْغُلَامِ *

(Ṣ and TA in the present art. and in art. عد) [The portions of inheritance of the sharers fly away, two together and singly; but the chiefdom is for the boy]: by his saying شَفْعًا وَوِتْرًا, he means that the male's share of inheritance is like that of two females [so that he has two portions when the female has one]: but other explanations, those here following, are given of الزعامة as used in this verse. (TA. [See also عَدِيدَةٌ.])

A weapon, or weapons; syn. سِلَاحٌ. (Ṣ, Ḳ.) So, accord. to J, in the verse of Lebeed: for, he says, they used, when they divided the inheritance, to give the weapon, or weapons, to the son, exclusively of the daughter. (TA.)

A coat of mail: (Ḳ:) or coats of mail: and thus it is expl. by IAạr as used in the verse of Lebeed. (TA.)

The chief's share of spoil. (Ḳ.)

And The best and most of the property of an inheritance and the like: (Ḳ:) and thus, also, it has been expl. as used in the verse of Lebeed. (TA.)

Also, andزَعَّامَةٌ↓, An animal of the ox-kind; [probably meaning one of the wild species;] syn. بَقَرَةٌ. (Ḳ.)

مَزْعَمٌ A thing, or an affair, in which no confidence is to be placed; (Ṣ, Ḳ;) this saying, or asserting, it to be thus, and this saying, or asserting, it to be thus: (Ṣ:) [pl. مَزَاعِمُ.] One says, فِى قَوْلِهِ مَزَاعِمُ (Ṣ, TA) i. e. [In his saying are things in which no confidence is to be placed; or] no confidence is to be placed in his saying. (TA.) And هٰذَا أَمْرٌ فِيهِ مَزَاعِمُ This is an affair that is not right; (TA;) [wherein are things] respecting which there is dispute. (Ḳ, TA.) And زَعَمَ غَيْرَ مَزْعَمٍ He said that which was not good, or right, or just; and asserted what was impossible. (Mṣb.)

Also A thing that is, or is to be, coveted, or eagerly desired; syn. مَطْمَعٌ. (Ṣ, TA.) See two exs. near the end of the first paragraph.

مُزْعَمٌ: see its fem., with ة {مُزْعَمَةٌ}, voce زَعُومٌ.

أَمْرٌ مُزْعِمٌ A thing, or an affair, that makes one to covet, or desire eagerly. (TA.)

مِزْعَامَةٌ A serpent. (Ḳ.)

هُوَ مُزَاعَمٌ No confidence is to be placed in him, or it. (So in the TA. [But I incline to think it a mistranscription for فِيهِ مَزَاعِمُ. See مَزْعَمٌ.])