Quranic root
حسر
ḥ · s · r
The root centers on uncovering or removing what covers something.
From uncovering and exposure, the lexical range extends to bare or cleared states, depletion and exhaustion, and grief or regret over something that has escaped.
- Maqāyīs · row 1357
- Lane · entry 14440
- Mufradāt · row 323
- 4
- Quran-attested forms
- 4
- Quran senses
- 12
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
اِسْتَحْسَرَ
āistaḥsara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- 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 weary or exhausted through exertion.
In the Quranic occurrence, Form X appears under negation and describes not becoming weary in sustained worship; the derived form gives an intensified sense of ordinary weariness.
- Lane · entry 14440
- Mufradāt · row 323
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:19word 13
“they tire”
حَسِير
ḥasīr
- 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.
Of the sight: exhausted, failing, or unable to achieve its object after prolonged looking.
In 67:4, the returning sight is described as حَسِير. The form permits an active interpretation, “failing,” and a passive interpretation, “made weary.”
- Lane · entry 14449
- Mufradāt · row 323
Selected Quran examples
Quran 67:4word 10
“(is) fatigued”
حَسْرَة
ḥasrah
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Intense grief or regret over something missed, lost, or that has escaped one; lamentation over that loss.
The form occurs in singular and plural, and in vocative constructions such as يا حسرة, يا حسرتنا, and يا حسرتى. These grammatical and rhetorical variants retain the same lexical meaning.
- Lane · entry 14447
- Mufradāt · row 323
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:167word 17
“(as) regrets”
Quran 3:156word 27
“a regret”
Quran 6:31word 13
“Oh! Our regret”
Quran 39:56word 4
“Oh! My regret”
Quran 36:30word 1
“Alas”
مَحْسُور
maḥsūr
- Part of speech
- Passive participle
- 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.
Left exhausted of one's resources, with nothing remaining in one's possession; insolvent.
In 17:29, it describes a person who has spent so excessively that nothing remains.
- Lane · entry 14455
- Mufradāt · row 323
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:29word 13
“insolvent”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:167حَسَرَٰتٍ(as) regrets
- 3:156حَسْرَةًۭa regret
- 6:31يَـٰحَسْرَتَنَاOh! Our regret
- 8:36حَسْرَةًۭa regret
- 17:29مَّحْسُورًاinsolvent
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 25 Classical meanings
حَسَرَ
To uncover, remove, take off, or strip away something that covers another thing.
Used of removing coverings, clothing, or other concealing objects; the construction may use عن to mark what is uncovered from.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَرَ
To peel a branch or remove its outer covering.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَرَ
To sweep a house or chamber.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَرَهُ
To exhaust someone's possessions by begging until nothing remains in his possession.
A causative object construction describing depletion through repeated asking and giving.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَرَ
To tire, fatigue, or jade a person or beast; to drive a camel until it is exhausted.
The classical usage especially describes fatigue caused by travel or exertion.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَرَ
Of the sight or eye, to become dim, dull, failing, or weary through prolonged looking.
The construction describes visual powers weakened by the length of the space observed or by long looking.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَرَ
Of water, the sea, or a great river, to sink, recede, or withdraw so that what was beneath it becomes exposed.
Used of water withdrawing from a shore or place; this is a specialized intransitive usage.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسِرَ عَلَيْهِ
To grieve for or regret intensely a thing that has escaped one.
The prepositional construction عَلَيْهِ marks the object of grief or regret.
- Lane · entry 14440
حَسَّرَ
To despise, annoy, vex, or drive another away.
- Lane · entry 14441
حَسَّرَ
To cause another to experience grief or regret, especially intensely, over something lost.
A causative construction derived from the branch of grief and regret.
- Lane · entry 14441
حَسَّرَ
Of birds, to moult or shed feathers.
- Lane · entry 14441
أَحْسَرَ
Of a people or party, to experience fatigue.
An intransitive usage referring to a group becoming weary.
- Lane · entry 14442
تَحَسَّرَ
For plumage, fur, or soft hair to fall off.
Used of feathers, a camel's soft hair, or similar bodily covering falling away.
- Lane · entry 14443
تَحَسَّرَ
To uncover oneself or sit with the head or face uncovered.
A reflexive or intransitive construction concerning removal of one's own covering.
- Lane · entry 14443
اِنْحَسَرَ
To become uncovered or stripped of what covered it; of darkness, to clear away.
The intransitive form describes a covering, including darkness, withdrawing or disappearing.
- Lane · entry 14444
حَسِير
Tired, fatigued, jaded, or emaciated through travel or overexertion, especially of a beast or camel.
- Lane · entry 14449
حَسِير
Grieving or regretting most intensely over something that has escaped one.
An adjectival description of a person experiencing extreme grief or regret.
- Lane · entry 14449
حَاسِر
Uncovered or bare, lacking a helmet, coat of mail, turban, or other defensive or head covering.
Applied to an uncovered person; in the plural, it can describe foot-soldiers without armor and, in an idiom, walls without ornamental crestings.
- Lane · entry 14450
مَحْسَر
A person's inner or intrinsic character, natural disposition, or quality as revealed by examination; in one usage, the countenance.
The expression كريم المحسر describes someone whose inner character proves noble when examined.
- Lane · entry 14451
مَحْسِر
The face or countenance; in the plural, exposed parts of the body such as the face, arms, and legs.
The plural refers to bodily parts left exposed to view.
- Lane · entry 14452
مَحْسِر
An elevated, open tract of land bare of herbage or trees.
Used of a desert or other ground whose natural covering is absent.
- Lane · entry 14452
مِحْسَرَة
An instrument for sweeping; a broom or besom.
- Lane · entry 14453
مُحَسَّر
Despised, harassed, vexed, driven away, or treated as an outcast.
A reported adjectival usage applied to a person or group.
- Lane · entry 14454
مُحَسَّر
Made to grieve or regret intensely, or left fatigued.
An alternative interpretation connects the condition with being driven away or exhausted.
- Lane · entry 14454
مَحْسُور
Removed, put off, taken off, or stripped away.
The passive participle describes something from which a covering has been removed.
- Lane · entry 14455
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
In 67:4, حَسِير permits both an active reading, “failing,” and a passive reading, “made weary”; the public sense preserves both interpretations.
Lane's historical Quran citation conventions are not used to infer modern verse locations; Quran examples here use independently supplied QAC locations.