Quranic root
كبكب
k · b · k · b
The root is oriented toward gathering, aggregation, and the formation of a compact or congregated mass.
The lexical development extends from collecting and compacting things to pressing together, forming balls or masses, and the reduplicated action of tumbling or being cast together into a hollow.
- Maqāyīs · row 3913
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- 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.
كَبْكَبَ
kabkaba
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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 overturn or cast down so that what is thrown turns over upon itself or upon others and comes to rest in a deep place.
In the Quranic passive construction فَكُبْكِبُوا فِيهَا, the objects are interpreted as being gathered or thrown down into Hell, one upon another, tumbling until they settle there.
- Lane · entry 27740
Selected Quran examples
Quran 26:94word 1
“Then they will be overturned”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 26:94فَكُبْكِبُوا۟Then they will be overturned
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 37 Classical meanings
كَبَّهُ
To invert or turn an object upside down; to turn a vessel or bowl over so as to pour out its contents.
Transitive Form I usage.
- Lane · entry 27734
كَبَّهُ
To throw someone down upon his face; to prostrate him.
A transitive use describing forcible prostration.
- Lane · entry 27734
كَبَّهُ
To cut or wound a camel in the legs.
A specialized transitive use with a camel as the object.
- Lane · entry 27734
كَبَّ
To convolve or glomerate thread or hair into balls.
A tropical use referring to forming material into a كُبَّة.
- Lane · entry 27734
كَبَّ
To be weighty or heavy.
Intransitive Form I usage.
- Lane · entry 27734
كَبَّ
To kindle or set fire to a plant or tree called كُبّ.
A specialized lexical use with كُبّ, a type of ḥamḍ plant, as the object.
- Lane · entry 27734
كَبَّبَ
To make كباب, meat cut into pieces and roasted or broiled.
A tropical Form II culinary use.
- Lane · entry 27735
أَكَبَّ
To bend the head or oneself down toward the ground or an object; to stoop.
The construction may use عَلَى or إِلَى with the object or direction.
- Lane · entry 27736
أَكَبَّ
To fall prostrate or prone, especially upon the face; also to fall after stumbling.
A quasi-passive or intransitive use related to كَبَّ.
- Lane · entry 27736
أَكَبَّ
To set about an undertaking and persist in it; to apply oneself or adhere to it.
Used with عَلَى and an undertaking, task, or work.
- Lane · entry 27736
تَكَبَّبَتِ الإِبِلُ
For camels to be prostrated by disease or emaciation.
The subject is the herd or its members in a Form V use.
- Lane · entry 27737
تَكَبَّبَ
To become contracted and compact through moisture.
Used of sand or a similar material that becomes moist and compact.
- Lane · entry 27737
تَكَبَّبَ
To wrap oneself in a garment.
A tropical use describing a person bundled or wrapped in clothing.
- Lane · entry 27737
تَكَابُّوا
To press or crowd together upon something.
A reciprocal Form VI construction with عَلَيْهِ.
- Lane · entry 27738
اِنْكَبَّ
To become inverted or turned down, as a jug or similar vessel, so as to pour out its contents.
An intransitive Form VII use describing the vessel's resulting position.
- Lane · entry 27739
كَبْكَبَ
To collect scattered property by bringing its dispersed extremities together, including by driving dispersed camels together.
A transitive reduplicated use with scattered wealth, property, or animals as its object.
- Lane · entry 27740
تَكَبْكَبُوا
To collect themselves together.
A reduplicated Form V use describing people or other subjects becoming gathered.
- Lane · entry 27741
كُبٌّ
A plant or tree of the ḥamḍ kind, used especially for kindling.
A collective botanical noun, also treated as a noun of unity with ـة.
- Lane · entry 27742
كَبَّةٌ
A forceful charge, assault, or single impetus; also the collision of troops, the release of horses to charge, and a violent onset.
The same noun is extended to the vehemence of winter and a dash or rush of fire.
- Lane · entry 27743
كَبَّةٌ
A throwing into a deep place or hollow.
A verbal noun associated with the act of casting something into a depth.
- Lane · entry 27743
كُبَّةٌ
A collected mass of dust, earth, or other material; also a ball or compact mass of spun thread.
The material may be accumulated naturally or convolved into a ball; the term is also used of hair formed in this way.
- Lane · entry 27744
كُبَّةٌ
A congregated company, troop, or main body, especially of horses or men; also a herd of great camels.
The sense includes the greater number or main part of a troop and similar collective uses.
- Lane · entry 27744
كُبَّةٌ
A family or household dependent upon someone.
Used in the expression عَلَيْهِ كُبَّةٌ.
- Lane · entry 27744
كُبَّةٌ
A pressing or crowding together.
A nominal expression for congregating with pressure or compression.
- Lane · entry 27744
كُبَّةٌ
Weight or the burden of one's mass.
Used figuratively in expressions such as throwing one's weight upon someone.
- Lane · entry 27744
كَبَابٌ
Meat cut into small pieces and roasted or broiled, often over burning coals.
A culinary noun, noted as possibly borrowed or non-Arabic by some authorities.
- Lane · entry 27745
كُبَابٌ
A very large number of camels, sheep, or goats, so numerous that they seem to mount upon one another.
Also used adjectivally of an abundant herd.
- Lane · entry 27746
كُبَابٌ
Dust, earth, adhesive clay, moist earth, or sand compacted by moisture.
The sense includes an abundance of soft earth that cleaves or coheres together.
- Lane · entry 27746
كَبَابَةٌ
A medicinal substance from China, identified with cubeb or Piper cubeba.
A specialized materia-medica term.
- Lane · entry 27747
كِبْكِبٌ
A certain game of the Arabs.
A specialized cultural noun.
- Lane · entry 27748
كُبْكُبٌ
A man of compact and strong make.
The plural is given as كَبَاكِبُ.
- Lane · entry 27749
كَبْكَابٌ
An excellent kind of thick dates.
A specialized agricultural noun.
- Lane · entry 27752
كُبْكُوبٌ
A closely congregated body of men.
A collective noun for a compact human group.
- Lane · entry 27753
كَبْكَابَةٌ
A fat woman.
A lexical noun specifically defined with a female referent.
- Lane · entry 27754
أَكَبُّ
A man who constantly stumbles.
A derived adjective describing habitual stumbling.
- Lane · entry 27755
مِكَبٌّ
One who looks much toward the ground.
An active-nominal description of a person's habitual posture or gaze.
- Lane · entry 27756
مُكَبَّبَةٌ
A dust-coloured wheat with thick ears and stout straw.
A specialized agricultural adjective or noun.
- Lane · entry 27757
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The single Quran occurrence is a passive plural form; the lexical headword is normalized to the Form I perfect كَبْكَبَ.
The reported interpretations of فَكُبْكِبُوا فِيهَا emphasize related aspects of the construction: being collected, thrown down, turned over repeatedly, and settling one upon another in a deep place.