Quranic root
مشي
m · sh · y
The root has two principal semantic axes: movement, especially walking, and growth or increase.
The movement axis yields walking, proceeding, reciprocal movement, and causative bodily movement; the growth-and-increase axis is reflected in abundant offspring and livestock kept for breeding and gain.
- Maqāyīs · row 4384
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 4
- Quran senses
- 23
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
مَشَى
mashā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 21 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 move or go from place to place; ordinarily, to walk or proceed on foot.
Applies to human and other-creature movement and may be rendered “walk” or “go” according to context. Quranic usage includes movement in a characteristic manner, walking humbly, and proceeding along the earth.
- Lane · entry 5736
- Mufradāt · row 1370
Selected Quran examples
To go on, continue, or proceed in a course of action.
A Quran-attested construction in which the verb denotes continuing onward rather than merely taking steps.
- Lane · entry 5736
Selected Quran examples
Quran 38:6word 5
“Continue”
مَشْيٌ
mashyun
- Part of speech
- Verbal noun
- 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.
Walking; movement from one place to another by volition.
As a verbal noun, it denotes the act of walking or moving. The Quranic occurrence is in a possessive construction referring contextually to a person’s pace or manner of walking.
- Mufradāt · row 1370
Selected Quran examples
Quran 31:19word 3
“your pace”
مَشَّاءٌ
mashshāʾun
- Part of speech
- Adjective
- 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.
One who goes about carrying tales or spreading malicious gossip; a tale-bearer.
In the Quranic collocation بِٱلنَّمِيمِ, the form is an idiomatic characterization of carrying gossip rather than a reference merely to physical walking.
- Mufradāt · row 1370
Selected Quran examples
Quran 68:11word 2
“going about”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:20مَّشَوْا۟they walk
- 6:122يَمْشِىhe walks
- 7:195يَمْشُونَ(to) walk
- 17:37تَمْشِwalk
- 17:95يَمْشُونَwalking
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 12 Classical meanings
مَشَى
To pass or become current, said of money and, figuratively, of a calumny.
A tropical or figurative use, distinct from literal movement.
- Lane · entry 5736
مَشَى بَطْنُهُ
For the belly to become active and discharge itself.
Used in the bodily construction مَشَى بَطْنُهُ.
- Lane · entry 5736
مَاشَاهُ
To walk or go on foot with someone; to keep pace with him.
A reciprocal accompanying construction with a person as the companion.
- Lane · entry 5738
أَمْشَى
To make someone’s bowels move or discharge, especially by means of medicine.
Used with the medicine or the bowels as the object of the causative action.
- Lane · entry 5739
تَمَشَّى
To take a walk or to walk with slow, heavy, or effortful steps.
The derived form may be equivalent to مَشَى, but its reported general usage emphasizes slow or effortful walking.
- Lane · entry 5740
تَمَشَّى
For the intoxicating influence of wine to pervade or creep into someone.
An idiomatic figurative use, as in the influence of a drink entering or spreading through a person.
- Lane · entry 5740
تَمَاشَى
To walk toward or to one another.
A reciprocal movement construction.
- Lane · entry 5741
اِسْتَمْشَى
To use a medicine, or an infusion of a plant, as a laxative or purgative.
The construction may refer either to taking medicine or to drinking a plant infusion to move the bowels.
- Lane · entry 5742
المَشِيّ
A medicine that moves or purges the bowels.
Occurs in the expression دَوَاءُ المَشِيِّ.
- Lane · entry 5744
مَشَّاءٌ
A strong or energetic walker; one who goes on foot with vigor.
This broader Classical specialization is distinct from the Quranic tale-bearing use of the same adjective.
- Lane · entry 5743
مَاشِيَةٌ / مَوَاشٍ
A she-camel with numerous offspring; more broadly, camels, cattle, and sheep or goats kept for breeding and gain.
The broader collective use denotes livestock maintained for reproduction and profit.
- Lane · entry 5745
مَمْشَى
A passage or way by a place; a walking-place.
A possible application is a ship’s gangway, as reported in the lexical evidence.
- Lane · entry 5746
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
A historical Lane Quran citation is not converted directly into a modern surah:ayah location; the continuation sense is represented using the independently supplied QAC occurrence at 38:6.