Quranic root
غشو
gh · sh · w
The root centers on something coming upon another as a covering: concealment, envelopment, or being overtaken.
The covering image extends to events that overwhelm, coverings placed over eyes or ears, causal and reflexive covering, sexual approach as a euphemism for coming to, and things or persons that repeatedly come upon others.
- Mufradāt · row 1052
- 8
- Quran-attested forms
- 12
- Quran senses
- 29
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
غَشِيَ
ghashiya
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 13 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 cover, conceal, or overspread.
Used of a thing, force, or phenomenon that comes over another and covers it; this includes the spreading darkness of night and the covering of a visible object.
- Lane · entry 29345
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 53:16word 2
“covered”
Quran 92:1word 3
“it covers”
To come upon, overtake, or overwhelm.
Used of an event, force, or condition that descends upon or overtakes someone or something, often with an overpowering result.
- Lane · entry 29345
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:78word 8
“covered them”
غَشَّى
ghashshā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- 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 cover something or place a covering over it.
A causative/intensive covering construction, including putting a covering over the eyes or over a group of people.
- Lane · entry 29346
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 8:11word 2
“He covered you”
Quran 53:54word 1
“So covered them”
أَغْشَى
ʾaghshā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 4 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 cause something to cover or enshroud something else.
A causative construction in which one thing is made to cover, veil, or overspread another; Quranic voice and aspect vary by occurrence.
- Lane · entry 29347
Selected Quran examples
To cause an event or condition to come upon, overtake, or overwhelm.
A causative construction for an event or force descending upon someone or something, including the Quranic reading tradition associated with this usage.
- Lane · entry 29347
تَغَشَّى
taghashshā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form V
- Form
- V
- 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 approach sexually or have sexual intercourse with the object.
A euphemistic Form V construction of coming to or covering the sexual partner; the Quranic occurrence is the construction تَغَشَّاهَا.
- Lane · entry 29345
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:189word 13
“he covers her”
اِسْتَغْشَى
āistaghshā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- 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 cover oneself with a garment, especially over the ears, in order not to see or hear.
The Quranic construction denotes self-covering as a sign of refusing to listen or attend.
- Lane · entry 29349
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:5word 9
“they cover (themselves)”
Quran 71:7word 10
“and covered themselves”
To set off or run away, by an idiomatic allusion to throwing on or taking up one's garment.
An alternative interpretation reported for the Quranic expression; it is distinct from the literal self-covering interpretation.
- Lane · entry 29349
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:5word 9
“they cover (themselves)”
Quran 71:7word 10
“and covered themselves”
غَاشِيَةٌ
ghāshiyahun
- Part of speech
- Active participle (substantivized)
- 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.
A covering, or that which covers; coverings.
The Quranic plural غَوَاشٍ denotes coverings, while the singular is also used substantively for something that comes over and covers.
- Lane · entry 29359
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:41word 7
“coverings”
An overwhelming event, calamity, or general affliction; specifically, the Resurrection in al-Ghāshiyah.
The name can refer to the Resurrection because it overwhelms and encompasses creation; an interpretation referring to Hellfire is also reported. It can likewise denote punishment or calamity of universal extent.
- Lane · entry 29359
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:107word 4
“an overwhelming”
Quran 88:1word 4
“(of) the Overwhelming”
غِشَاوَةٌ
ghishāwahun
- 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.
A covering, veil, or film over the eyes or heart.
The Quranic usage refers to a covering over the eyes and, figuratively, a covering or rust-like barrier over the heart.
- Lane · entry 29357
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:7word 9
“(is) a veil”
Quran 45:23word 17
“a veil”
مَغْشِيٌّ
maghshiyyun
- 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.
Swooning or rendered senseless; overcome by faintness.
Used in the Quranic phrase مَغْشِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ, describing one affected by a swoon or loss of consciousness associated with death.
- Lane · entry 29361
- Mufradāt · row 1052
Selected Quran examples
Quran 47:20word 22
“(of) one fainting”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:7غِشَـٰوَةٌۭ ۖ(is) a veil
- 3:154يَغْشَىٰovercoming
- 7:41غَوَاشٍۢ ۚcoverings
- 7:54يُغْشِىHe covers
- 7:189تَغَشَّىٰهَاhe covers her
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 14 Classical meanings
غَشِيَ
To come to, visit, or approach someone or a place; euphemistically, to have sexual intercourse.
The sexual use is a metonymic extension of coming to or approaching, and is distinct from the Quranic Form V construction listed above.
- Lane · entry 29345
غَشِيَ
To engage in, occupy oneself with, personally undertake, or conduct a matter; extended to undertaking forbidden acts, ruling with equity or injustice, and plunging into wars.
These are extended uses of coming into direct contact or involvement with a thing or activity.
- Lane · entry 29345
غَشِيَ / غَشَّى
Of light, to come upon or overspread with an overpowering effect, obscuring or dazzling the sight.
A specialized use describing the effect of light on a person or the eye.
- Lane · entry 29345
- Lane · entry 29346
غَشِيَ / غَشَّى
To strike someone with a whip; to flog.
Used with the whip as the instrument.
- Lane · entry 29345
- Lane · entry 29346
غُشِيَ عَلَيْهِ / غَشْيَةٌ
A swoon or state of being senseless, involving suspension or clouding of the faculties; also a clouding of understanding at death or a slight attack of fever.
The nominal forms غَشْيَةٌ and غُشْيَةٌ describe the state or its occurrence, including specialized expressions for death and fever.
- Lane · entry 29345
- Lane · entry 29353
غَشَّى
To equip or furnish someone with a sword or whip, as one puts such an item upon him.
A clothing-like extension of the covering sense.
- Lane · entry 29346
أَغْشَى
To cause a person or thing to come to another.
This is distinct from the causative covering and overwhelming construction attested in Quranic usage.
- Lane · entry 29347
غِشَاءٌ
A cover or covering, including the covering of the heart, the skin-like covering around it, a saddle covering, or a sword cover or sheath.
A general noun for an enclosing cover, with anatomical and equipment-related applications.
- Lane · entry 29356
غَاشِيَةٌ
A covering-piece for a saddle or sword; technically, the iron fitting above the rear part of a camel saddle, and also a skin or other covering of a sword.
These are specialized object-related applications of the covering noun and are not the Quranic overwhelming-event sense.
- Lane · entry 29359
غَاشِيَةٌ
A particular disease attacking the interior of the body, especially the belly or chest.
A technical medical use.
- Lane · entry 29359
غَاشِيَةٌ
Petitioners, visitors, friends, guests, dependants, or other people who come repeatedly to someone seeking gifts, favor, or hospitality.
A collective substantive use for people who habitually resort to a person.
- Lane · entry 29359
غَشًا
The whiteness of the head or face of a horse or other animal.
A descriptive nominal use, especially of an animal's coloring.
- Lane · entry 29350
غَشْوٌ
The fruit of the lote tree; in a related usage, a lote tree itself.
The singular noun غَشْوَةٌ can denote a lote tree.
- Lane · entry 29351
أَغْشَى
Having the whole head or face white, or having a broad white blaze covering the face, said of a horse or another animal.
An adjectival description of animal coloring, with a feminine form reported for a goat.
- Lane · entry 29360
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
Lane's printed Quran citations and reading references use historical conventions; modern verse and word locations in the examples are taken only from the supplied QAC occurrences.
غَاشِيَةٌ is morphologically an active participle but is used substantively in the Quran, including the plural غَوَاشٍ; مَغْشِيٌّ is presented in its fuller Quranic construction مَغْشِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ.