Quranic root
قصف
q · ṣ · f
A basic notion of breaking or shattering through force, with associated ideas of brittleness and crashing sound.
The breaking principle extends to things that are readily broken or reduced to broken tree matter, to wind and thunder whose violence or sound seems to break, and to crashing or clamorous sounds. A metaphorical extension describes withdrawing from someone.
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
- Mufradāt · row 1185
- 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.
قَاصِف
qāṣif
- Part of speech
- Active 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.
A violently breaking and destructive wind; a hurricane.
In the Quranic construction قَاصِفًا مِنَ الرِّيحِ, it describes wind that breaks what it passes over, including trees and buildings.
- Mufradāt · row 1185
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:69word 10
“a hurricane”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 17:69قَاصِفًۭاa hurricane
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 8 Classical meanings
قَصَفَ
To break or shatter something.
A transitive Form I use; one attested application describes wind breaking a ship.
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
قَصِف
Readily broken; brittle.
An adjective describing something liable to break quickly.
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
قَصِيف
Broken or shredded woody remains of a tree.
A lexical noun for tree matter reduced to fragments.
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
قَصِيف
A weak or fragile, sap-filled plant.
Attested in the expression نَبَاتٌ قَصِيفٌ رَيّانُ.
- Lane · entry 20984
قَاصِف
Cracking or crashing thunder; severe thunder whose sound seems to break.
Applied to thunder with emphasis on the breaking quality or force of its sound.
- Mufradāt · row 1185
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
قَصْف
A crashing, clattering, or grinding sound, including the sound of musical instruments and the grinding of a camel’s teeth; figuratively, amusement or revelry.
The amusement or revelry usage is figurative, and its Arabic status is questioned by one lexicographical authority.
- Mufradāt · row 1185
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
اِنْقَصَفَ
To withdraw from someone or leave him.
A metaphorical derived use constructed with عَنْ, as in انقصفوا عنه.
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
الأَقْصَف
A person whose incisor is broken across its middle.
A specialized descriptive noun or adjective.
- Maqāyīs · row 3791
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The QAC occurrence is tagged as a noun, while its supplied derived morphology supports presentation as the active participle قَاصِف.