Quranic root
شهق
sh · h · q
The root is oriented toward rising, elevation, and loftiness, with the breath-and-sound vocabulary developing around an elevated or forceful audible movement.
From the basic notion of height or elevation, the lexica relate شَهِيق to breath drawn back or prolonged and to a high-sounding cry or moan. The extension to vehement anger likewise retains an association with forceful sound or intensity.
- Maqāyīs · row 2715
- Mufradāt · row 795
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 2
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَهِيق
shahīq
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 2 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 drawing back or inward return of breath; an audible inhalation.
In the Quranic usage, the noun describes an audible breath-drawing sound. Lexical descriptions also connect it with a prolonged breath and contrast it with زَفِير, although the assignment of the two breath movements is reported with some variation.
- Lane · entry 39459
- Mufradāt · row 795
Selected Quran examples
Quran 67:7word 6
“an inhaling”
A loud groan, wail, or braying-like cry, especially the terminal or final sound of a cry.
In the Quranic Hell context, the sound is presented as a high, moaning cry and is explained through comparison with the final sound of an ass’s braying.
- Lane · entry 39459
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:106word 9
“and wailing”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 2 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 12 Classical meanings
شَهَقَ
To rise high, become elevated, or become lofty.
Used of a mountain, building, and similar elevated things.
- Lane · entry 39459
شَهَقَ
To reiterate the sound of weeping in the chest, or to reiterate the breath so that the voice becomes naturally audible.
The evidence groups repeated chest-weeping and repeated audible breathing as verbal uses of the root.
- Lane · entry 39459
شَهَقَ
To utter a single cry.
Used in the expression describing someone who utters one cry and dies.
- Lane · entry 39459
شَهَقَتْ عَيْنُ النَّاظِرِ عَلَيْهِ
For an onlooker’s eye to affect someone with an evil influence; alternatively, for the eye to remain fixed on him out of admiration.
A conventional figurative expression with two reported interpretations.
- Lane · entry 39459
شَهْقَة
A single cry.
A noun denoting one isolated cry.
- Lane · entry 39460
شُهْقَة
Height, elevation, or loftiness.
A nominal use for the state or quality of being high or elevated.
- Lane · entry 39461
شَاهِق
High or lofty; of a mountain, high and inaccessible.
Applied to mountains, buildings, and similar elevated structures; the plural is شَوَاهِق.
- Lane · entry 39462
شَاهِق
Of a vein or artery, pulsing upward.
A technical medical use.
- Lane · entry 39462
ذُو شَاهِق
A man whose anger is vehement.
A conventional description of intense anger.
- Lane · entry 39462
ذُو شَاهِق
A stallion camel excited by lust, assaulting female camels and producing an audible sound from within.
A conventional application to a sexually excited male camel.
- Lane · entry 39462
تَشْهَاق
An infinitive noun for the breath-drawing or cry denoted by شَهِيق.
Explicitly treated as equivalent to شَهِيق in the basic breath-and-cry branch.
- Lane · entry 39459
تَشْهَاق
A loud laugh, figuratively compared with the loud cry of an ass.
Used as a figurative epithet for loud laughter.
- Lane · entry 39463
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The lexical contrast between شَهِيق and زَفِير is reported with differing assignments of inward and outward breath; the Quranic breath sense follows the explicit description of returning or drawing back breath.