Quranic root
أخذ
ʾ · kh · dh
The root centers on taking possession of something by gathering, receiving, or grasping it.
From physical taking and collecting, the lexical branches extend to receiving, retaining, overpowering, seizing, punishing, adopting or appointing, and the nouns denoting what is taken or a place of taking.
- Maqāyīs · row 46
- 7
- Quran-attested forms
- 17
- Quran senses
- 273
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَخَذَ
ʾakhadha
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 127 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 take, receive, obtain, hold, or take away something.
Used for ordinary taking or receiving, including taking something by hand, receiving something from someone, and taking or removing an object.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
To accept, admit, or willingly receive something.
Used for accepting a covenant, obligation, counsel, or something offered for acceptance; the object may be expressed directly or in a related construction.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:81word 22
“and take”
To retain or detain someone or something.
Used when a person or object is kept in place, including retaining someone in another's stead.
- Lane · entry 6280
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:78word 9
“so take”
To seize, overpower, or affect someone or something.
The subject may be a person, an event, a disease, a physical sensation, or another force; the result may be physical seizure, overpowering influence, or being affected by it.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:255word 9
“overtakes Him”
To take someone captive.
Used of taking a person as a captive or prisoner.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:5word 9
“and seize them”
To gain mastery over and kill or slay someone.
A forceful taking may culminate in overcoming and killing the person taken.
- Lane · entry 6280
Selected Quran examples
Quran 40:5word 18
“So I seized them”
To destroy, exterminate, or bring ruin upon someone.
Used of destructive divine or other overwhelming action, especially destruction as a consequence of wrongdoing.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 69:10word 4
“so He seized them”
Quran 11:102word 5
“He seizes”
To punish, chastise, or requite someone for an offense.
Used with a person and a sin or offense, often in the construction of taking someone for or because of the wrongdoing.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
آخَذَ
ʾākhadha
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form III
- Form
- III
- Quran occurrences
- 9 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 hold someone accountable, call someone to account, blame, or punish.
This Form III usage presents taking as reciprocal or directed accountability for an act, omission, or offense; it may be translated as taking someone to task or calling someone to account.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:225word 2
“will take you to task”
Quran 2:286word 15
“take us to task”
Quran 18:73word 3
“blame me”
اتَّخَذَ
āttakhadha
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- Quran occurrences
- 124 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 take or acquire something for oneself; to adopt, choose, or assume it.
Used for deliberately selecting, adopting, acquiring, or taking something as one's own, including a course, object, person, or affiliation.
- Lane · entry 6284
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:165word 4
“takes”
To make, constitute, appoint, or take someone or something as a specified role or status.
Often transitive to two objects: the first is made or taken as the second, such as a friend, child, ally, object of worship, or subject of derision.
- Lane · entry 6284
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 5:51word 5
“take”
Quran 19:88word 2
“Has taken”
To do or establish a benefit or favor for someone.
Used in a construction describing a favor or good deed done for another, sometimes with the implication that the favor becomes an acknowledged benefit.
- Lane · entry 6284
Selected Quran examples
Quran 18:86word 22
“you take”
أَخْذ
ʾakhdh
- Part of speech
- Verbal noun
- 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.
Taking or receiving; the act of taking.
A verbal noun of أَخَذَ, used for ordinary taking and receiving.
- Lane · entry 6288
- Lane · entry 6292
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:161word 1
“And for their taking”
A seizure or punitive taking.
Used for an overwhelming or retributive seizure, especially divine punishment or destruction.
- Lane · entry 6292
- Lane · entry 6280
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 69:10word 5
“(with) a seizure”
Quran 11:102word 10
“His seizure”
آخِذ
ʾākhidh
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 3 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.
One who takes or grasps.
An active participle of أَخَذَ; the Quranic contexts use it for taking or grasping an object or person.
- Mufradāt · row 22
- Lane · entry 6280
Selected Quran examples
مُتَّخِذ
muttakhidh
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 3 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.
One who adopts, chooses, or takes someone or something as an associate, object, or specified role.
An active participle of اتَّخَذَ; it may describe taking someone as a companion, lover, supporter, or other chosen associate, or taking something for a designated purpose.
- Lane · entry 6284
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:25word 33
“those who take”
Quran 5:5word 31
“ones (who are) taking”
Quran 18:51word 11
“the One to take”
اتِّخَاذ
āttikhādh
- Part of speech
- Verbal noun
- 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.
Adopting, choosing, acquiring, or making something or someone into a specified role.
A verbal noun of اتَّخَذَ, covering deliberate adoption or constitution, including taking something as an object of allegiance or worship.
- Lane · entry 6284
- Mufradāt · row 22
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:54word 9
“by your taking”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:48يُؤْخَذُwill be taken
- 2:51ٱتَّخَذْتُمُyou took
- 2:54بِٱتِّخَاذِكُمُby your taking
- 2:55فَأَخَذَتْكُمُSo seized you
- 2:63أَخَذْنَاWe took
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 43 Classical meanings
أَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ
To aid or assist someone, literally by taking the person's hand or arm.
An idiomatic, figurative use of the Form I verb.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَ عَلَى يَدِهِ
To prevent, restrain, or withhold someone from doing what he intends.
An idiom portraying restraint as laying hold of the person's hand or arm.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَ
To derive or deduce a word, phrase, or meaning.
An assumed figurative use describing derivation from a source.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَ مِنْهُ السَّيْرُ
For travel or exertion to weaken or exhaust someone by taking away strength.
The object understood with the verb is the person's strength or vigor.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَ مِنَ الشَّعَرِ
To clip or cut off hair or the moustache.
Used with hair or moustache as the material removed.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَهُ
To make a violent assault on someone and wound him severely; also, to assail him with the tongue.
Includes physical assault and the idiomatic use for vehement verbal attack or vituperation.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَ
To take a road, course, manner, or prudent line of action.
Used with a road, direction, precaution, or adopted course of conduct.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَ فِي
To begin, commence, or set about doing something.
A verb of inception, commonly followed by an activity or action.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَذَتْهُ عَيْنِي
For the eye to see, notice, or regard someone as worthy of attention.
An idiomatic expression concerning visual notice or esteem.
- Lane · entry 6280
أَخَّذَ
To captivate or fascinate someone by enchantment or charm, especially to restrain him from sexual relations with others.
A Form II lexical use associated with magical fascination and sexual restraint.
- Lane · entry 6281
أَخَّذَ
To make milk sour.
A Form II use with milk as the object.
- Lane · entry 6281
اِتَّخَذَ
For combatants to take hold of one another in fighting or wrestling.
Describes reciprocal seizing in combat, including wrestling to throw an opponent down.
- Lane · entry 6284
اِتَّخَذَ
To make, manufacture, or prepare a thing.
A Form VIII use with an object such as a bow, waterskin, dish, or medicine; this is broader Classical usage than the Quranic appointing construction.
- Lane · entry 6284
أَخْذٌ
A way or manner of life, including the manners, disposition, fashion, or conduct one adopts.
Appears in expressions for people who follow another group's way of life.
- Lane · entry 6286
نُجُومُ الأَخْذِ
The mansions of the Moon; by another explanation, stars cast at devils listening furtively.
The lunar-mansion explanation is identified as the more correct one in the lexical discussion.
- Lane · entry 6286
إِخْذٌ
The act of taking or taking with the hand.
A substantive derived from أَخَذَ and used as a variant nominal form.
- Lane · entry 6288
إِخْذٌ
A mark made with a hot iron on a camel's side when disease is feared.
A technical livestock term.
- Lane · entry 6288
أَخَذٌ
Heaviness of the stomach and indigestion in a young camel caused by milk.
A specialized ailment term for a young camel.
- Lane · entry 6280
- Lane · entry 6289
- Lane · entry 6290
أَخِذٌ
An animal affected by something resembling madness or demoniacal possession.
Applied especially to a camel, young camel, sheep, or goat.
- Lane · entry 6290
أَخِذٌ
A person affected by inflammation, pain, swelling, or ophthalmia of the eye.
The corresponding noun أُخُذٌ denotes the eye ailment itself.
- Lane · entry 6290
أُخُذٌ
Inflammation, pain, and swelling of the eye; ophthalmia.
A noun for the eye ailment, distinct from the adjectival use أَخِذٌ.
- Lane · entry 6291
أَخَذَاتٌ
Places of abode or settled locations.
Used in the expression for people taking their places of residence.
- Lane · entry 6292
أُخْذَةٌ
A manner or technique of taking hold of an opponent in wrestling.
A technical term for a wrestler's hold; its plural is أُخَذٌ.
- Lane · entry 6293
أُخْذَةٌ
An enchantment or fascination that captivates or restrains someone.
May refer to a charm, bead, or incantation believed to captivate or restrain, including restraining a husband from other women.
- Lane · entry 6293
أُخْذَةٌ
A pitfall dug for catching a lion.
A specialized hunting term.
- Lane · entry 6293
أُخْذَةُ النَّارِ
The period shortly after sunset regarded as an unfavorable time for striking fire.
Occurs in an idiomatic expression about hastening to produce fire before that time.
- Lane · entry 6293
إِخَاذٌ
A pool, basin, or water receptacle formed by a torrent or dug to retain water.
May denote a natural pool left by floodwater, a place where animals gather to drink, or a constructed watering-trough; variant forms include إِخَاذَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 6295
أَخِيذٌ
One who or something that has been taken.
A passive participial use of the root, separate from the specialized noun for a captive.
- Lane · entry 6296
أَخِيذٌ
A captive or prisoner.
The feminine is formed with ة; the term can occur in sayings about a captive taken by an army.
- Lane · entry 6296
أَخِيذٌ
A strange or foreign old man.
A specialized nominal use.
- Lane · entry 6296
إِخَاذَةٌ
Land taken or allocated for oneself, especially waste land brought into cultivation or granted for cultivation.
May describe land claimed by a person or granted by a ruler or imam when it is not already another's property.
- Lane · entry 6297
إِخَاذَةٌ
The handle of a shield of the type called حَجَفَة.
A technical object term.
- Lane · entry 6297
أَخِيذَةٌ
A thing taken by force.
A passive noun describing an object seized forcibly.
- Lane · entry 6298
أَخَّاذٌ
One who takes eagerly or greedily.
Often used pejoratively of someone who eagerly takes things and then quickly throws them away.
- Lane · entry 6299
آخِذٌ
A camel beginning to become fat or to grow old.
A specialized adjectival use with the plural أَوَاخِذُ.
- Lane · entry 6300
آخِذٌ
Milk that bites or stings the tongue.
A descriptive term synonymous with قَارِصٌ.
- Lane · entry 6300
مَأْخَذ
A place from which or at which something is taken.
Includes a source or capture point, such as places from which birds are taken.
- Lane · entry 6301
مَأْخَذ
The source or basis from which a word, phrase, or meaning is derived.
A terminological use concerning derivation or interpretation.
- Lane · entry 6301
مَأْخَذ
A way or route that one takes.
Used for a chosen route, including taking the nearest way.
- Lane · entry 6301
مُؤَخَّذٌ
A man withheld from women by enchantment or charm.
A passive description of the enchantment construction associated with أَخَّذَ.
- Lane · entry 6303
مُسْتَأْخِذٌ
Long hair requiring to be clipped.
A specialized adjectival use applied to hair.
- Lane · entry 6305
مُسْتَأْخِذٌ
One who lowers or stoops the head because of eye inflammation, pain, disease, or submission.
The lowered posture may result from ophthalmia or pain, and can also be described as lowly or submissive because of illness.
- Lane · entry 6305
أَخُذَ
For milk to become sour.
A Form I lexical use describing souring of milk.
- Lane · entry 6280
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The historical Quran citations embedded in Lane are retained as lexical evidence but are not treated as modern verse locations unless independently confirmed by QAC.
The active participle آخذ is presented under its normalized singular citation form; Quranic contextual renderings vary between taking and grasping.