Quranic root
صوع
ṣ · w · ʿ
The root has two principal semantic branches: dispersal, separation, and movement apart; and a vessel or measure.
The dispersal branch extends to scattering, splitting, retreating, and approaching or encompassing from different sides. The vessel branch includes the ṣāʿ measure and the ṣuwāʿ drinking vessel.
- Maqāyīs · row 2862
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- 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.
صُوَاعٌ
ṣuwāʿun
- Part of speech
- 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.
A cup or drinking vessel.
In the Joseph narrative, the royal ṣuwāʿ is understood as a vessel from which one drinks.
- Lane · entry 26872
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:72word 3
“(the) cup”
A measure or measuring vessel.
An alternative interpretation of the object in the same Quranic passage identifies it as a measure used for measuring, while also describing it as a vessel that could be used for drinking.
- Lane · entry 26872
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 12:72صُوَاعَ(the) cup
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 31 Classical meanings
صَاعَ
To measure something with a ṣāʿ measure.
A transitive Form I verb; the measured object may be food or grain.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To approach, encompass, or collect from different sides.
Reported of a courageous person approaching or encompassing opponents, and of a herder collecting livestock from every side.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To disperse or scatter something.
Reported with opponents and with livestock; some authorities also give this as a contrary usage to collecting them.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To frighten someone.
A transitive Form I usage.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To urge or incite a people or party.
A transitive Form I construction with a collective object.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To propel a ball with a club or mallet.
A specialized sporting or playing construction.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To follow one another in succession.
Reported of bees moving after one another.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَاعَ
To fold, double, twist, or bend a thing.
A transitive Form I usage describing alteration of an object's shape.
- Lane · entry 26867
صَوَّعَ
To prepare and level a place for separating and loosening cotton.
A Form II construction with a place as object.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To dry up or cause plants or herbage to dry up.
Reported with the wind as subject; the usage is compared with صَوَّحَ.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To make a thing pointed at its head.
A transitive Form II usage.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To round a thing at its sides.
A transitive Form II usage concerning the shape of an object.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To drive female asses to the right and left.
A specialized Form II construction reported of a wild ass.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To go at random and resist one's owner or rider.
Reported of a horse in a Form II usage.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To turn the head or face toward someone.
A construction with إِلَيْهِ indicating the direction of turning.
- Lane · entry 26868
صَوَّعَ
To move or bob the head.
Reported of a bird moving its head.
- Lane · entry 26868
تَصَوَّعَ
To become dispersed, scattered, or remote from one another.
An intransitive Form V usage, including a people or party becoming dispersed.
- Lane · entry 26870
تَصَوَّعَ
For hair to contract, split, disperse, or fall out gradually.
A specialized Form V usage describing the effects of dryness or progressive loss.
- Lane · entry 26870
تَصَوَّعَ
For herbage to become dried up.
An intransitive Form V usage of vegetation.
- Lane · entry 26870
اِنْصَاعَ
To turn away or back, retreat, or go away quickly.
A Form VII usage describing rapid departure, often with the sense of retreating or returning.
- Lane · entry 26871
اِنْصَاعَ
For a bird to ascend or mount into the air.
A specialized intransitive usage describing movement between earth and sky or into the middle of the sky.
- Lane · entry 26871
صَاعٌ
A plot in which a ṣāʿ of seed is sown.
A specialized place-noun usage.
- Lane · entry 26872
صَاعٌ
A depressed piece or hollow in the ground.
The place may be described as excavated, sloping down from its borders, or narrow and depressed.
- Lane · entry 26872
صَاعٌ
A cleared or bare place, especially a swept place where one plays.
The place is described as cleared of pebbles and suitable for playing with a ball; it may also simply be bare.
- Lane · entry 26872
صَاعٌ
The place at the breast of an ostrich when it rests its breast on the ground; by extension, the middle of the breast.
Occurs in the expression صَاعُ جُؤْجُؤِ النَّعَامِ and in an idiom for striking someone in the middle of the breast.
- Lane · entry 26872
صَاعٌ
A goffstick or mallet used to propel a ball.
A specialized noun usage associated with ball play.
- Lane · entry 26872
صُوَعٌ
Portions of herbage beginning to dry up.
A plural or collective noun describing partially dried vegetation.
- Lane · entry 26874
صُوَعٌ
Horseflesh that is scattered or sparse rather than collected in one place.
A specialized descriptive noun usage.
- Lane · entry 26874
صَاعَةٌ
A place or prepared hide used for separating and loosening cotton or wool.
The place may be prepared by a woman and may consist of a skin spread out for the work.
- Lane · entry 26875
صَاعَةٌ
A place specially made or prepared for guests.
A specialized place-noun usage.
- Lane · entry 26875
مُنْصَاعٌ
One who is turning away or back, retreating, or departing.
An active participle from Form VII, used for a person or party in rapid retreat or departure.
- Lane · entry 26878
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The single Quran occurrence is accompanied in the lexical evidence by variant interpretations as a drinking vessel/cup and as a measuring vessel or measure.