Quranic root
رسو
r · s · w
The root centers on being fixed, stationary, or firmly established, and on causing something to become so.
Its lexical development extends from remaining firm or settled to anchoring ships, fixing objects, designating places or times of anchoring, and figurative settling or remaining.
- Mufradāt · row 550
- Lane · entry 23284
- Lane · entry 23286
- Lane · entry 23295
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 4
- Quran senses
- 14
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَرْسَىٰ
ʾarsāā
- 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 make firm, fixed, or firmly established.
A transitive use whose Quranic object is the mountains; the sense concerns causing them to be firmly set.
- Lane · entry 23286
- Mufradāt · row 550
Selected Quran examples
Quran 79:32word 2
“He made them firm”
مُرْسًى
mursan
- Part of speech
- Passive 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.
The place or state of anchoring; an anchorage or place where something comes to rest.
In the Quranic expression concerning the ship, it denotes its anchorage or being brought to rest.
- Lane · entry 23286
- Lane · entry 23293
- Mufradāt · row 550
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:41word 7
“and its anchorage”
The appointed time of being established or of an event taking place.
Used of the appointed time or arrival of an event, especially the eschatological Hour.
- Lane · entry 23286
- Lane · entry 23293
- Mufradāt · row 550
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:187word 5
“its appointed time”
Quran 79:42word 5
“(is) its arrival”
رَاسِيَةٌ
rāsiyahun
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 10 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.
Firmly fixed, stationary, or immovable; in the Quran, firmly set mountains and fixed cooking pots.
The Quranic group is chiefly the plural رَوَاسِي and also includes رَاسِيَات; the same fixedness is applied to mountains and, in one passage, to large cooking pots that remain in place.
- Lane · entry 23291
- Mufradāt · row 550
Selected Quran examples
Quran 13:3word 7
“firm mountains”
Quran 34:13word 11
“fixed”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 7:187مُرْسَىٰهَا ۖits appointed time
- 11:41وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚand its anchorage
- 13:3رَوَٰسِىَfirm mountains
- 15:19رَوَٰسِىَfirm mountains
- 16:15رَوَٰسِىَfirm mountains
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 16 Classical meanings
رَسَا
To be or become stationary, fixed, firm, steady, or steadfast; of a foot, to stand firm in combat, and of a mountain, to be firmly based.
A general intransitive use describing remaining firmly in place or maintaining firmness.
- Lane · entry 23284
رَسَا
Of a ship, to anchor, lie at anchor, or become stationary by grounding.
The ship may rest on its anchor or remain stationary when its lower part reaches the bottom.
- Lane · entry 23284
رَسَا
Of a stallion-camel, to leap upon his she-camels; alternatively, to bray to them so that they turn toward him and become still.
A specialized camel-herding expression with variant explanations of the stallion's action.
- Lane · entry 23284
رَسَا
To bring about agreement, harmony, reconciliation, accommodation, or adjustment between people.
Used with a group or party as the object of the reconciliation.
- Lane · entry 23284
رَسَا
To mention a portion of a report or story, or to relate a report as received from and attributed to someone.
The construction may express attribution to an informant or relating the report inwardly to oneself.
- Lane · entry 23284
رَسَا
To intend or purpose fasting.
A specialized use with fasting as the intended action.
- Lane · entry 23284
رَسْوٌ
A part or portion of a tradition, report, or story.
A nominal use referring to a section of transmitted discourse.
- Lane · entry 23288
رَسْوَةٌ
A bracelet made of strung beads or turtle-shell, including a particular type of bead bracelet.
A concrete noun for an ornamental bracelet; its reported plural is رَسَوَات.
- Lane · entry 23289
رَسِيٌّ
Firm or steadfast in good or evil.
An adjectival description of steadfast character or condition.
- Lane · entry 23290
رَسِيٌّ
The pole fixed in the middle of a tent.
A specialized concrete use referring to a tent's fixed central support.
- Lane · entry 23290
رَاسَاهُ
To swim with someone.
A Form III reciprocal or associative construction.
- Lane · entry 23285
أَرْسَى
To make a thing stationary or firm; especially, to anchor or ground a ship and make it fast.
A causative transitive use applied particularly to ships and anchors.
- Lane · entry 23286
مَرْسًى
A verbal noun or a noun of time or place; as a place, an anchorage, port, or station for ships.
The form can designate the act, time, or place of coming to rest, with the place sense especially associated with ships.
- Lane · entry 23292
مِرْسَاةٌ
The anchor of a ship, especially a large anchor that holds the ship fast.
A concrete nautical noun; the anchor is lowered into the water and tied by ropes to prevent the ship from proceeding.
- Lane · entry 23295
مِرْسَاةٌ
In the expression أَلْقَوْا مَرَاسِيَهُمْ, to remain, stay, dwell, or abide.
A figurative idiom based on casting anchors.
- Lane · entry 23295
مِرْسَاةٌ
In the expression أَلْقَتِ السَّحَابَةُ مَرَاسِيَهَا, for a cloud to remain steady or stationary while raining, or to rain continually.
A figurative cloud expression combining settled stillness with sustained rain.
- Lane · entry 23295
- Mufradāt · row 550
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The supplied QAC metadata labels the أَرْسَىٰ group as Form I, while its Arabic shape and the matched lexical evidence identify the citation form conventionally as Form IV; the public morphology label follows the supplied QAC metadata.
مُرْسًى is a substantivized passive-participial form whose Quranic contexts support both place/state and appointed-time readings.