Quranic root
بسل
b · s · l
A semantic field centered on holding back, restraining, or placing something beyond reach.
The root develops from prevention and containment to prohibition, pledging or surrender, and consigning someone to punishment or destruction. Courage is understood as resisting an opponent, while sternness and unpleasantness form related branches.
- Maqāyīs · row 763
- Mufradāt · row 124
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 2
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَبْسَلَ
ʾabsala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 2 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 give up, deliver over, or consign to destruction or punishment.
The Quran occurrences are passive Form IV forms in 6:70. The construction concerns being handed over for what has been done; exegetical renderings include destruction and punishment, with related interpretations of disgrace or imprisonment.
- Lane · entry 36395
- Mufradāt · row 124
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:70word 13
“is given up to destruction”
To pledge, give in security, or surrender as an equivalent; hence, to be held as a pledge and deprived of reward.
This is an alternative interpretation of the same passive Quranic construction in 6:70, where the person is understood as pledged or prevented from receiving reward for the deeds committed.
- Lane · entry 36395
- Mufradāt · row 124
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:70word 34
“are given to destruction”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 2 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 28 Classical meanings
بَسْلٌ
Prevention, hindering, withholding, debarring, or prohibition.
An infinitival noun expressing the act of preventing someone from accomplishing a matter.
- Lane · entry 36392
بَسَلَ
To frown, contract the face, look stern or morose, or become odious in aspect.
The expression may describe facial sternness arising from courage or anger, or a person who is displeasing in appearance.
- Lane · entry 36392
بَسَلَ
To become strong, sour, altered, or foul in taste or condition.
Used of milk, fermented drink or must, vinegar, and meat, with the precise result depending on the object.
- Lane · entry 36392
بَسُلَ
To be courageous or strong-hearted in war or combat.
The courage is construed as resistance to an opponent.
- Lane · entry 36392
بَسَّلَ
To make something disliked, disapproved of, or hated; or to dislike, disapprove of, or hate it.
Form II usage, with the object either made an object of aversion or itself regarded with aversion.
- Lane · entry 36393
مُبَاسَلَةٌ
Assaulting or assailing in war.
A verbal noun of the reciprocal Form III verb.
- Lane · entry 36394
إِبْسَالٌ
Prevention, hindering, withholding, debarring, or prohibition.
The Form IV verbal noun, corresponding to the primary prevention sense.
- Lane · entry 36395
أَبْسَلَ
To leave someone to his work without interfering with him.
Used with the person's work as the matter in which he is left unimpeded.
- Lane · entry 36395
أَبْسَلَ نَفْسَهُ
To resign or submit oneself to death or beating, or to throw oneself into battle prepared to kill or be killed.
A reflexive construction expressing deliberate submission to an inevitably dangerous outcome.
- Lane · entry 36395
مَا أَبْسَلَهُ
How courageous or strong-hearted he is in war or combat!
An exclamatory construction praising courage in battle.
- Lane · entry 36395
تَبَسَّلَ
To affect courage or strength of heart in war, embolden oneself, or become lion-like in boldness.
Form V usage describing the acquisition or display of battle courage.
- Lane · entry 36396
بَسْلٌ
Forbidden, prohibited, or unlawful; also, in a contrary usage, allowed, permitted, or lawful.
This epithet is reported with opposite meanings. It can function as singular or plural and as masculine or feminine because of its origin as a verbal noun.
- Lane · entry 36399
بِسِلَّى
A kind of grain resembling lupine and smaller than it.
A dialectal Egyptian term, also written بِسِلَّة in later usage.
- Lane · entry 36401
بَسَالَةٌ
Courage or strength of heart in war or combat.
A verbal noun denoting battle courage.
- Lane · entry 36404
بَسَالَةٌ
A frowning, stern, austere, or morose expression, including one accompanied by showing the teeth.
A nominal usage connected with facial contraction arising from courage or anger.
- Lane · entry 36404
بَسَالَةٌ
Dislike, disapprobation, displeasure, or hatred.
A nominal expression of aversion.
- Lane · entry 36404
بَاسِلٌ
Courageous or strong-hearted in war or combat.
An adjective for one who resists an opponent with courage.
- Lane · entry 36405
بَاسِلٌ
Frowning, stern, morose, or displeasing in aspect.
Applied especially to a face or aspect, and may indicate vehement facial sternness.
- Lane · entry 36405
بَاسِلٌ
A lion.
A figurative designation associated with the lion's formidable or inescapable aspect.
- Lane · entry 36405
بَاسِلٌ
Hard or severe and displeasing when applied to a saying.
A specialized adjectival use with speech or a statement as its object.
- Lane · entry 36405
بَاسِلٌ
Strong, sour, altered, or corrupted in flavor.
Applied to milk, fermented drink or must, and vinegar.
- Lane · entry 36405
بَاسِلٌ
Distressing, afflictive, or calamitous when applied to a day.
A figurative adjectival use describing a severely adverse day.
- Lane · entry 36405
مُسْتَبْسِلٌ
One who has resigned himself to death or being beaten.
The derived adjective describes deliberate readiness to undergo a fatal or punishing outcome.
- Lane · entry 36408
مُسْتَبْسِلٌ
One who has fallen into a displeasing, odious, or evil predicament from which there is no escape.
A separately reported figurative application of the adjective.
- Lane · entry 36408
أَبْسَلَ الْمَكَانَ
To guard or preserve a place, making it forbidden to anyone who seeks to enter or take it.
A Form IV construction with a place as the object and would-be intruders as those kept out.
- Mufradāt · row 124
البُسْلَةُ
The fee or payment given to a healer or exorcist.
A specialized traditional term whose derivation is connected with making a person strong against harmful beings or rendering him protected from them.
- Maqāyīs · row 763
- Mufradāt · row 124
بَسَّلَ الْحَنْظَلَ
To sweeten colocynth by removing its bitterness or harshness.
A reported usage; its interpretation is tied to removing the plant's strength or bitterness.
- Mufradāt · row 124
بَسَلْ
An affirmative or terminating expression meaning yes, indeed, or enough.
A particle-like usage distinct from the noun meaning prohibition.
- Mufradāt · row 124
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
بَسْلٌ is reported with opposite values, forbidden and permitted; the contrast is retained rather than harmonized away.
The public Quranic headword is normalized to the Form IV perfect citation form أَبْسَلَ, while both supplied Quran occurrences are passive inflected forms.