Quranic root
فزع
f · z · ʿ
The root has two established semantic poles: fear or terror, and seeking or providing aid in a moment of danger.
Fear gives rise to taking refuge, urgent mobilization, and appeals for succour; the same lexical tradition also preserves the corresponding act of relieving fear and giving aid.
- Maqāyīs · row 3576
- Mufradāt · row 1111
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 6
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
فَزِعَ
faziʿa
- 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 fear, become frightened, or be terrified.
An intransitive verb of entering a state of fear; the feared object may be introduced with مِنْ in the broader lexical construction.
- Lane · entry 34094
- Mufradāt · row 1111
Selected Quran examples
Quran 27:87word 5
“and will be terrified”
Quran 34:51word 4
“they will be terrified”
Quran 38:22word 5
“and he was afraid”
فَزَّعَ
fazzaʿa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- 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 remove fear from someone; in the Quranic passive construction, for fear to be removed from hearts.
The attested Quranic construction is passive فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ, with عَنْ marking the removal of fear from the hearts.
- Lane · entry 34095
- Mufradāt · row 1111
Selected Quran examples
Quran 34:23word 11
“fear is removed”
فَزَعٌ
fazaʿun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Fear, fright, or terror.
In الفَزَعُ الأَكْبَرُ, the expression is explained as the terror associated with entering the Fire; the noun also denotes fear or terror more generally.
- Lane · entry 34099
- Mufradāt · row 1111
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:103word 3
“the terror”
Quran 27:89word 9
“(the) terror”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 21:103ٱلْفَزَعُthe terror
- 27:87فَفَزِعَand will be terrified
- 27:89فَزَعٍۢ(the) terror
- 34:23فُزِّعَfear is removed
- 34:51فَزِعُوا۟they will be terrified
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 21 Classical meanings
فَزَعٌ
A people's rapid going forth to repel an enemy or comparable threat that has appeared suddenly.
A conventional metonymical extension from fear and the urgent response it provokes.
- Lane · entry 34094
فَزِعَ
To seek or demand aid, succour, refuge, or protection by turning to someone.
Especially in constructions such as فَزِعَ إِلَيْهِ; the appeal is made because of fear or an affliction.
- Lane · entry 34094
فَزِعَ
To aid, succour, or rescue someone.
A transitive use with the opposite relational direction from seeking aid; lexicographic usage includes فَزَعَهُ and فَزِعَ لَهُ.
- Lane · entry 34094
فَزِعَ
To be roused from sleep or to ready oneself through a sudden change of state.
Used of awakening or preparing oneself in response to an event, with the association of fear or alarm.
- Lane · entry 34094
فَزَعَهُ
To exceed another in fear or fright.
A transitive comparative use.
- Lane · entry 34094
فَزَّعَ
To cause a fearful event or fearful events to befall someone.
An additionally reported Form II causative use, distinct from removing fear.
- Lane · entry 34095
فَازَعَ
To vie with someone in fear or fright and exceed that person therein.
A reciprocal or competitive Form III construction.
- Lane · entry 34096
أَفْزَعَ
To make someone afraid, frighten, or terrify them.
The causative Form IV use; the feared object or cause may be introduced with مِنْ, مِنْ أَجْلِ, or بِـ.
- Lane · entry 34097
أَفْزَعَ
To rouse or awaken someone from sleep.
A causative extension of the state-change use of the root.
- Lane · entry 34097
أَفْزَعَ
To aid or succour someone.
A Form IV use belonging to the aid branch of the root.
- Lane · entry 34097
فَزَعٌ
A fearful event or occurrence.
A reported nominal extension; its plural is given as أَفْزَاعٌ.
- Lane · entry 34099
فَزِعٌ
Fearful, frightened, terrified, or agitated.
An adjectival description of a person in fear or disquiet. An extraordinary reported Quran reading uses the form with the sense of being in a state of disquiet, but that reading is not one of the supplied canonical QAC occurrences.
- Lane · entry 34100
فَزِعٌ
Seeking aid or succour, or giving aid or succour.
A reported contrary relational use of the adjective, depending on construction and interpretation.
- Lane · entry 34100
فُزْعَةٌ
A person or agency that causes fear or at whom one is frightened.
May denote one by whom, or by means of whom, fear is induced.
- Lane · entry 34102
فَزَعَةٌ
A single fright or pang of fear.
Used in the expression فَزَعَاتُ الرُّوعِ, the fears or frights of the heart.
- Lane · entry 34103
فُزَعَةٌ
One who fears people or is often or greatly frightened.
A personal description emphasizing habitual or repeated fear.
- Lane · entry 34104
فَزَّاعَةٌ
One who frightens people frequently or greatly.
An intensive or habitual agent noun.
- Lane · entry 34105
مَفْزَعٌ
A place or person to which one turns for refuge, protection, preservation, or aid when calamity strikes.
Can apply to a place, a person, a group, or other refuge, and is used for one whose aid is sought.
- Lane · entry 34107
مَفْزَعٌ
A person or thing that causes fear or at which one is frightened.
A causative noun distinct from مَفْزَعٌ meaning a refuge.
- Lane · entry 34107
مُفَزَّعٌ
Cowardly or easily frightened.
Explained as being made to fear or frightened at everything.
- Lane · entry 34109
مُفَزَّعٌ
Courageous or secure against fear.
An opposite, evaluative use applied to one of such courage that fearful events are brought against one like him without overcoming him.
- Lane · entry 34109
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The aid and succour branch is construction-sensitive: turning to someone in fear means seeking aid, while related transitive constructions can mean giving aid.
The reported extraordinary Quran reading of فَزِعًا in the passage concerning the mother of Moses is preserved as lexical evidence under فَزِعٌ, but it is not assigned a canonical QAC occurrence because that location and morphology are not supplied among the QAC forms.