Quranic root
ألت
ʾ · l · t
The root centers on diminution: making something less, deficient, or incomplete, especially diminishing what is due to someone.
The lexical record presents diminution both as a thing becoming less and as the withholding of a person's due; it also preserves separate branches involving restraint or turning away and oath-related vocabulary.
- Maqāyīs · row 131
- Lane · entry 7027
- Lane · entry 7030
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 1
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَلَتَ
ʾalata
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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 diminish for someone what is due to them, abridging or depriving them of a portion; in the Quranic usage, to withhold nothing of the reward of their work.
Transitive with a person and their due, right, property, or reward; the Quranic construction uses مِنْ to express what is not withheld from their deeds or reward.
- Lane · entry 7027
Selected Quran examples
Quran 52:21word 10
“We will deprive them”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 52:21أَلَتْنَـٰهُمWe will deprive them
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 8 Classical meanings
أَلَتَ
To decrease, diminish, or become deficient, incomplete, or imperfect.
Intransitive use describing a thing that becomes less or defective.
- Lane · entry 7027
أَلَتَ
To withhold or restrain someone and turn or avert them from their course, purpose, or object.
Used with a person, optionally with عَنْ and the course, purpose, or object from which they are turned.
- Lane · entry 7027
أَلَتَ
To make someone swear, ask them to swear or give testimony, or press them with an oath.
Used in oath-taking and adjuration constructions, including pressing someone with an oath.
- Lane · entry 7027
أَلْتٌ
Deficiency or lack.
A nominal expression for the absence of a sufficient amount or provision.
- Lane · entry 7030
أَلْتٌ
Swearing or an oath.
A noun used for oath-taking or an oath used to bind someone to give what is due.
- Lane · entry 7030
أَلْتٌ
Calumny, slander, or false accusation.
A nominal use for defamatory or falsely accusatory speech.
- Lane · entry 7030
أُلْتَةٌ
A small gift.
A nominal expression for a gift of small value or size.
- Lane · entry 7031
أُلْتَةٌ
An oath of the type called غَمُوس.
A specialized nominal use for an oath classified as غَمُوس.
- Lane · entry 7031
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The public headword is normalized to the third-person masculine perfect citation form أَلَتَ; the supplied Quran occurrence is an inflected Form I perfect and occurs at 52:21:10.