Quranic root
حرص
ḥ · r · ṣ
The root develops along two principal lines: cleaving or stripping away a surface, and excessive desire or greed.
The physical idea of scraping or stripping explains usages for torn cloth, lacerations, rain that strips the ground, and exhausted pasture; a separate semantic line denotes vehement or excessive desire, with related senses of striving and solicitude.
- Maqāyīs · row 1337
- Mufradāt · row 311
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 5
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
حَرَصَ
ḥaraṣa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To desire intensely; to be exceedingly eager for an object or outcome.
The Quranic uses express vehement or excessive desire, including constructions with عَلَى and بِ directed toward a desired outcome or person.
- Lane · entry 14102
- Mufradāt · row 311
Selected Quran examples
أَحْرَصُ
ʾaḥraṣu
- Part of speech
- Elative adjective
- 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.
More or most intensely desirous; in the Quranic comparison, the most greedy or covetous for life.
An elative comparative or superlative construction with عَلَى; the supplied Quranic occurrence describes being most desirous of life.
- Lane · entry 14112
- Mufradāt · row 311
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:96word 2
“(the) most greedy”
حَرِيصٌ
ḥarīṣun
- Part of speech
- Adjective
- 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.
Deeply solicitous for someone's benefit; intensely eager to benefit them, and therefore compassionate and caring toward them.
In the Quranic expression حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ, the person marked by عَلَى is the object of this benevolent concern; the usage allows both eagerness to benefit and excessive solicitude or compassion.
- Lane · entry 14109
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:128word 10
“(he is) concerned”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:96أَحْرَصَ(the) most greedy
- 4:129حَرَصْتُمْ ۖyou desired
- 9:128حَرِيصٌ(he is) concerned
- 12:103حَرَصْتَyou desire
- 16:37تَحْرِصْyou desire
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 16 Classical meanings
حَرَصَ
To tear or cleave something, or to strip, scrape, rub, or abrade away its superficial part; of pasture, to become wholly consumed as though stripped from the ground.
This is the physical branch of the root and includes removal of a surface by force or repeated action.
- Lane · entry 14102
حَرْصَةٌ؛ حَرِيصٌ
A rent or abrasion in a garment or piece of cloth, including cloth damaged through beating, washing, or whitening.
The two headwords are attested for the resulting tear or damaged cloth.
- Lane · entry 14108
- Lane · entry 14109
حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ
To desire an object culpably, excessively, or greedily, especially worldly goods.
This is the morally censurable or worldly specialization of intense desire, distinct from the neutral Quranic contexts represented above.
- Lane · entry 14102
حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ
To strive, labor, exert oneself, or take pains to acquire, obtain, or attain an object.
The construction may denote effort directed toward attaining the object, not merely desire for it.
- Lane · entry 14102
حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ
To be excessively solicitous, careful, or fearful regarding a person, and to be very pitiful or compassionate toward that person.
This is a person-directed construction and is distinct from desire for an impersonal object.
- Lane · entry 14102
حَارَصَ عَلَى الأَمْرِ
To apply oneself constantly or perseveringly to a matter or affair.
Form III presents sustained, repeated application to the matter.
- Lane · entry 14103
مَا أَحْرَصَكَ عَلَى
How vehemently, excessively, or culpably desirous, greedy, or covetous you are of something.
An exclamative construction, especially used of excessive desire for worldly goods.
- Lane · entry 14104
تَحَرَّصَ
To watch for or await eagerly the time of an anticipated thing.
The attested construction concerns watching for the time of a meal.
- Lane · entry 14105
حِرْصٌ
Vehement or excessive desire, eagerness, avidity, greed, or covetousness for a sought object.
The noun can carry a censurable sense of inordinate desire, particularly for worldly good.
- Lane · entry 14107
حِرْصٌ
Strenuous effort or exertion undertaken to acquire, obtain, or attain something.
This is the noun of directed striving rather than desire alone.
- Lane · entry 14107
حِرْصٌ
Excessive solicitude, care, or fear for a person, together with excessive pity or compassion.
A person-directed extension of the noun's desire-related meaning.
- Lane · entry 14107
حَرِيصٌ
Vehemently desirous, eager, greedy, hankering, or covetous.
This general adjective meaning is broader than the benevolent, person-directed Quranic usage represented under the public form حَرِيصٌ.
- Lane · entry 14109
حَارِصَةٌ
A slight wound of the head that cleaves the skin; the first degree among head wounds.
An anatomical technical usage for a superficial laceration.
- Lane · entry 14111
حَارِصَةٌ؛ حَرِيصَةٌ
A rain cloud whose vehemently falling rain strips the surface of the ground.
The defining feature is the force of the rain and its effect in removing the ground's surface.
- Lane · entry 14111
- Mufradāt · row 311
مُحَرَّصٌ
Much lacerated by the bites of other asses.
A passive participial description of an animal bearing extensive bite-lacerations.
- Lane · entry 14113
مَحْرُوصَةٌ
Depastured and trodden land.
A passive participial description of land heavily consumed by grazing and trampling.
- Lane · entry 14114
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
Lane's traditional Quran citation notation for the comparative is not used as a modern verse location; the example at 2:96 follows the independently supplied QAC location.
The physical stripping, laceration, cloud, and pasture meanings are broader Classical Arabic evidence and are not asserted as Quranic form senses in this packet.