Quranic root
بخع
b · kh · ʿ
A forceful act carried to the point of killing, with associated meanings of abasement, subjugation, and bringing something to an extreme.
The primary image is slaughtering an animal with such force that the cutting reaches the neck bone. From this developed uses for self-destruction through grief, humble submission, strenuous exertion, and exhausting or subduing something thoroughly.
- Maqāyīs · row 706
- Lane · entry 35694
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- 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.
بَاخِع
bākhiʿ
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
One who destroys or kills himself through overwhelming grief and distress.
Used in the Quranic construction بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ, describing extreme anguish over people's refusal to accept guidance; the active participle functions predicatively with the object “yourself.”
- Lane · entry 35696
- Mufradāt · row 98
Selected Quran examples
Quran 18:6word 2
“the one who kills”
Quran 26:3word 2
“(would) kill”
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 10 Classical meanings
بَخَعَ
To slaughter a beast with exceptional thoroughness or force, cutting through the neck bone; by extension, to perform an act with extraordinary effectiveness or to an extreme degree.
The literal use concerns reaching the back of the neck or cutting the neck bone; the extended sense applies to carrying an action out with unusual intensity or completeness.
- Lane · entry 35694
بَخَعَ
To kill oneself under overwhelming grief, wrath, or rage.
A broader Classical Arabic reflexive construction; the Quranic grief-driven use is separately presented under بَاخِع.
- Lane · entry 35694
بَخَعَ
To humble and submit oneself in obedience, acknowledging another's right or due, sometimes with strong reluctance.
Used with a person or with a right or obligation, and may convey exceptionally complete submission or acknowledgment.
- Lane · entry 35694
- Mufradāt · row 98
بَخَعَ
To exert oneself with exceptional earnestness, especially by taking extraordinary pains in giving sincere advice or counsel.
Used in constructions involving exertion for another person or earnest counsel offered to another.
- Lane · entry 35694
بَخَعَ
To relate information or news truthfully to someone.
A transitive use with a person as the recipient of the report.
- Lane · entry 35694
بَخَعَ
To dig a well until its water appears.
A specialized use referring to digging down to the water source.
- Lane · entry 35694
بَخَعَ
To subdue or exhaust something by carrying an action to its utmost, including subduing people and extracting what they possess or exhausting land through continuous cultivation.
The cited applications concern people, the earth, and cultivated land; these are extensions of bringing something to an extreme rather than a restriction to one object class.
- Lane · entry 35694
البِخَاع
A reported vein or nerve in the back or neck region, associated with the vertebrae or the bone of the neck.
The precise anatomical referent is disputed in the lexical discussion and is distinguished there from النُّخَاع.
- Lane · entry 35695
أَبْخَع
More or most effective in killing or destroying.
A comparative or superlative adjective describing exceptional effectiveness in killing or destruction.
- Lane · entry 35697
أَبْخَع
More sincere and energetic in obedience than others.
A comparative use describing unusually complete submission or energetic obedience.
- Lane · entry 35697
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic headword is normalized to the active-participial citation form بَاخِع from the supplied inflected surface form بَاخِعٌ.
The two Quran occurrences have different English contextual renderings but attest the same grief-driven self-destruction construction.
The anatomical meaning of البِخَاع is lexically attested but its precise anatomical identification is disputed.