Quranic root
شدد
sh · d · d
A basic sense of القوة في الشيء: strength or force in a thing, especially as made firm by tightening or binding.
The root develops from firm binding and strengthening to force, intensity, severity, contest, hardship, and the attainment of full human strength or maturity.
- Maqāyīs · row 2593
- Mufradāt · row 754
- 5
- Quran-attested forms
- 9
- Quran senses
- 102
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَدَّ
shadda
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 6 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
To make or render firm, strong, sound, or reinforced; to strengthen.
Used transitively for strengthening a person, body, support, power, or other established thing.
- Lane · entry 38064
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:31word 1
“Reinforce”
Quran 76:28word 3
“and We strengthened”
To bind, tie, or fasten firmly.
Used with bonds, restraints, knots, or other things that are tightened or securely fastened.
- Lane · entry 38064
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
Quran 47:4word 10
“then bind firmly”
To make hearts firm against guidance, effectively sealing them from heeding admonition.
A Quran-specific construction with على القلوب, as in the prayer شَدَّ على قلوبهم; this is a specialized result of making firm rather than an ordinary physical binding.
- Lane · entry 38064
Selected Quran examples
Quran 10:88word 21
“and harden”
اِشْتَدَّ
āishtadda
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
To become intensely strong or violent; of the wind, to blow with great force.
The Quranic occurrence describes the wind becoming violently intense and thereby driving or scattering something.
- Mufradāt · row 754
- Lane · entry 38070
Selected Quran examples
Quran 14:18word 7
“blows furiously”
شَدِيدٌ
shadīdun
- Part of speech
- Adjective · also substantivized noun
- Quran occurrences
- 56 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Strong, powerful, forceful, vigorous, or mighty.
May describe a person, power, force, or thing possessing pronounced strength or force.
- Lane · entry 38075
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:80word 11
“strong”
Severe, intense, harsh, or difficult to bear.
Used of punishment, distress, conflict, circumstances, or any attribute whose force or intensity is extreme.
- Lane · entry 38075
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
Quran 14:2word 14
“severe”
Miserly, withholding, tenacious of wealth, or avaricious.
In the construction لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ, the adjective characterizes a person as intensely withholding of wealth; this is a lexical interpretation distinct from merely being strong or severe.
- Lane · entry 38075
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
Quran 100:8word 4
“(is) surely intense”
أَشَدُّ
ʾashaddu
- Part of speech
- Comparative adjective / noun
- Quran occurrences
- 31 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Stronger, more intense, more severe, or mightier; strongest or most intense in superlative use.
The comparative or superlative degree may be explicit or understood from context and may concern strength, severity, intensity, difficulty, or power.
- Lane · entry 38077
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
أَشُدٌّ
ʾashuddun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 8 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
The state or stage of full strength, maturity, and sound judgment.
Usually occurs in expressions meaning to reach or attain one's full strength or maturity. Classical explanations assign the stage varying age limits, including puberty, the period of mature strength, and forty years; the shared lexical notion is attained human maturity and vigor.
- Lane · entry 38078
- Mufradāt · row 754
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:22word 3
“his maturity”
Quran 28:14word 3
“his full strength”
Quran 40:67word 17
“your maturity”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:74أَشَدُّstronger
- 2:85أَشَدِّ(the) most severe
- 2:165أَشَدُّ(are) stronger
- 2:165شَدِيدُ(is) severe
- 2:191أَشَدُّ(is) worse
Broader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 34 Classical meanings
شَدَّ
In the expression لَشَدَّ مَا or شَدَّ مَا, an intensive or emphatic expression meaning indeed, very much, or greatly.
An idiomatic intensifier rather than the ordinary transitive verb.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدَّ
To charge, assault, or attack an opponent or enemy.
Typically constructed with عَلَى and used of war, battle, or a sudden attack.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدَّ
To run, hasten, or move quickly.
Used of running or rapid movement, including the construction شَدَّ فِي العَدْوِ.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدَّ
Of the day or morning, to become advanced while the sun is high.
A temporal expression such as شَدَّ النَّهَارُ or شَدَّ الضُّحَى.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدَّ
To press, compress, squeeze, pull, or strain something.
A broader physical use distinct from fastening or strengthening.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدُّ الرِّحالِ
To set out on a journey, literally to bind the saddles or travel gear onto the mounts.
A metonymical expression for departing on a journey.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدُّ المِئْزَرِ
To avoid sexual relations, to exert oneself vigorously in work, or both.
An idiomatic expression whose interpretation depends on context.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدٌّ وَإِرْخَاءٌ
In مَا أَمْلِكُ شَدًّا وَلَا إِرْخَاءً, the ability to do anything or exercise control.
A fixed contrast between tightening and loosening.
- Lane · entry 38064
شَدَّدَ
To intensify, aggravate, or make a burden, suffering, treatment, or matter harsh, severe, or difficult to bear.
Often constructed with عَلَى and contrasted with خَفَّفَ; this Form II meaning is causative or intensifying rather than simple strengthening.
- Lane · entry 38065
تَشْدِيدٌ
The lengthened or doubled pronunciation of a consonant, represented in writing by the shaddah sign.
A grammatical and prosodic technical term.
- Lane · entry 38065
شَادَّ
To vie, contend, or strive to surpass another in strength, power, or force.
May describe opposition or competition with another person or with an undertaking.
- Lane · entry 38066
أَشَدَّ
To have, or to have with one, a strong beast or strong beasts.
A Form IV verb concerning a person's or group's mounts or pack animals.
- Lane · entry 38067
مَا أَشَدَّ
How hard, intense, vehement, violent, or great a thing is.
An exclamatory construction with ما.
- Lane · entry 38067
تَشَدَّدَ
To act with forced hardness, firmness, strength, courage, severity, or rigor; to exert or strain oneself severely.
May be constructed with فِي or لِ and describe vigorous application to an affair.
- Lane · entry 38068
تَشَدَّدَ
To become hard or difficult toward someone.
Used of a person who deals harshly or makes a request difficult for another.
- Lane · entry 38068
تَشَدَّدَ
To become niggardly, tenacious, or avaricious.
A Form V development describing withholding conduct.
- Lane · entry 38068
تَشَادَّ
To vie or contend with one another for superiority in strength, power, or force.
A reciprocal Form VI construction.
- Lane · entry 38069
اِشْتَدَّ
To become hard, firm, compact, sound, strong, or tightly fastened.
Used of substances, attributes, knots, bonds, or other things becoming firm or secure.
- Lane · entry 38070
اِشْتَدَّ
To become vehement, violent, intense, pressing, severe, distressing, difficult, or adverse.
Used of time, fortune, affairs, or circumstances becoming harsh or burdensome.
- Lane · entry 38070
شَدٌّ
The advanced part of the day or morning, when the sun is high.
A nominal temporal expression such as شَدُّ النَّهَارِ or شَدُّ الضُّحَى.
- Lane · entry 38071
شَدَّةٌ
A single act of making firm, strong, or compact, or of binding or tying firmly.
The feminine singular verbal noun denotes one occurrence of the action.
- Lane · entry 38072
شَدَّةٌ
A single charge, assault, or attack in war or battle.
A nominal use of the Form I attack sense.
- Lane · entry 38072
شِدَّةٌ
Hardness, firmness, compactness, strength, power, force, vigor, robustness, hardiness, or courage.
Used of substances, attributes, bodily or personal powers, and degrees of force.
- Lane · entry 38073
شِدَّةٌ
Vehemence, violence, intensity, pressure, severity, hardship, famine, distress, calamity, or adversity.
May denote either an intense degree or a distressing event or condition, including the rigors of death.
- Lane · entry 38073
شِدَّةٌ
Niggardliness, tenaciousness, or avarice.
A nominal expression for the withholding disposition associated with شديد or متشدّد.
- Lane · entry 38073
شَدَائِدُ
Seditions, discords, or dissensions that throw people into commotion.
A plural use developed from severe or distressing events.
- Lane · entry 38073
شَدِيدٌ
Courageous, brave, or firm of heart.
A Classical specialization describing personal courage rather than merely physical strength.
- Lane · entry 38075
شَدِيدُ العَيْنِ
Of a person, not readily overcome by sleep.
An idiomatic expression; شَدِيدَةُ جَفْنِ العَيْنِ may be applied metaphorically to a she-camel.
- Lane · entry 38075
الشَّدِيدُ
The lion.
A substantivized noun referring to the lion because of its strength and hardiness.
- Lane · entry 38075
شَدِيدٌ
An intensive modifier indicating a very high degree of the following quality.
With a following noun or verbal noun in the genitive, as in شَدِيدُ السَّوَادِ or شَدِيدُ الغَضَبِ.
- Lane · entry 38075
الحُرُوفُ الشَّدِيدَةُ
The strong or obstructive consonants that, when quiescent, prevent the voice from flowing during their articulation.
A technical phonetic classification of the letters أ، ب، ت، ج، د، ط، ق، ك.
- Lane · entry 38075
أَشَدُّ النَّهَارِ
The time when the day is most advanced and the sun is at its highest.
A temporal expression using the comparative or superlative form.
- Lane · entry 38077
مَشَدُّ العِصَابَةِ
The place or part where a fillet, band, or similar item is bound.
A locative noun referring to the point of fastening.
- Lane · entry 38079
مُشِدٌّ
A person who has or travels with a strong beast or strong beasts.
The opposite of مُضْعِفٌ, one who has weak mounts; traditionally used of a strong warrior or plunderer.
- Lane · entry 38080
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
أَشُدٌّ has a stable core meaning of attained strength or maturity, but the sources give differing age ranges and differing grammatical analyses of its form.
شَدِيدٌ in the expression concerning love of wealth is explicitly interpreted as miserly or withholding, despite contextual English renderings that may emphasize intensity.
أَشَدُّ is used both adjectivally and substantivally in the Quran; its comparative or superlative force is determined by construction and context.