Quranic root
سهم
s · h · m
The root has two principal semantic orientations: alteration in color or appearance, and a share, portion, or allotted object.
The share-and-portion branch extends to drawing lots, the arrow as one item among allotted arrows, kinship as a share of connected lineage, and striped markings likened to arrows. The color-change branch includes heat effects, emaciation, altered complexion, and related conditions.
- Maqāyīs · row 2516
- 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.
سَاهَمَ
sāhama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form III
- Form
- III
- 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 cast or draw lots with others, originally by competing with arrows in sortilege; in the Quranic construction, to draw lots with the people of a ship, with the contest yielding a defeated party.
A competitive lot-drawing construction; the object or participants may be expressed or understood from context. The Quranic occurrence describes Jonah's lot-drawing contest with the ship's people.
- Lane · entry 42543
- Mufradāt · row 735
Selected Quran examples
Quran 37:141word 1
“Then he drew lots”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 37:141فَسَاهَمَThen he drew lots
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 38 Classical meanings
سَهَمَ
To become altered in color or complexion, or lean and lank in the belly; to be affected by scorching heat.
Used of a person or, by extension, of a face or other affected subject.
- Lane · entry 42541
تَسْهِيمٌ
The making of a garment marked with stripes or lines.
The stripes are likened to arrows.
- Lane · entry 42542
سَاهَمَهُ
To shoot arrows with someone in competition.
This is the arrow-shooting use of Form III, distinct from drawing lots.
- Lane · entry 42543
سَاهَمَهُ
To share or participate with someone in a matter.
The shared matter may be introduced with فِي.
- Lane · entry 42543
سَاهَمَهُ
To contend with someone for a thing.
A reported Form III competitive construction; the attestation is presented as approximate in the lexical source.
- Lane · entry 42543
أَسْهَمَ بَيْنَهُمْ
To arrange, order, or cause people to cast lots among themselves, or to cast lots among them.
The construction is causative or facilitative: the subject organizes the lot-drawing or makes it take place among the participants.
- Lane · entry 42544
أَسْهَمَ لَهُ
To give someone a lot, share, or portion.
The recipient is introduced with لِـ.
- Lane · entry 42544
أَسْهَمَ
To be or become loquacious or profuse in speech.
A distinct lexical use, treated as synonymous with أَسْهَبَ.
- Lane · entry 42544
تَسَاهَمُوا
To share together.
Form VI expresses mutual participation or sharing.
- Lane · entry 42545
تَسَاهَمُوا
To contend with one another for a thing.
A mutual competitive use distinct from simple sharing.
- Lane · entry 42545
اِسْتَهَمُوا
To cast or draw lots with one another, or to practise sortilege.
Synonymous with mutual lot-drawing expressions formed from قَرَعَ.
- Lane · entry 42546
سَهْمٌ
An arrow or missile fitted with an iron head and feathers; also, in an astronomical application, the Arrow constellation.
The word may also denote the arrow used for casting lots or for a game of hazard, including a featherless or headless lot-drawing arrow.
- Lane · entry 42547
سَهْمٌ
The thing won by the person whose arrow succeeds in a game of lot-casting.
A specialized extension from the successful gaming arrow.
- Lane · entry 42547
سَهْمٌ
A lot, share, or portion of something.
The sense applies broadly to an allotted portion, including a share of spoil or property.
- Lane · entry 42547
سَهْمُ السَّفِينَةِ
The mast of a ship.
A figurative designation based on resemblance to an arrow.
- Lane · entry 42547
سَهْمُ البَيْتِ
The beam of a house or chamber.
A conventional architectural use based on resemblance to an arrow.
- Lane · entry 42547
سَهْمٌ
A measure of six cubits used in measuring land for sales and purchases.
A specialized unit of measurement.
- Lane · entry 42547
سَهْمٌ
A stone placed over the entrance of a chamber used to trap a lion, falling into place and closing the entrance.
This sense is separately reported in the lexical tradition and may also be written with ش in some accounts.
- Lane · entry 42547
سُهُمٌ
The fine, filmy substance called gossamer.
Used with the definite article in the reported expressions; it is also described figuratively as the spun thread of sun-rays or the snivel of the devil.
- Lane · entry 42548
سُهُمٌ
Overpowering heat.
A noun distinct in vocalization from the arrow and share senses.
- Lane · entry 42548
سُهُمٌ
Intelligent, knowledgeable, skilful, judicious, or capable working men.
A plural designation for capable workers; a parallel form with ش is also reported.
- Lane · entry 42548
سُهْمَةٌ
Relationship or kinship.
The associated expression ذُو السُّهْمَةِ means a relation or kinsman.
- Lane · entry 42549
سَهَامٌ
The heat of the samum wind, the burning heat of summer, or the dust clouds raised by it; also a hot wind.
Used as either singular or plural for a hot wind or its effects.
- Lane · entry 42550
سُهَامٌ
Leanness or lankness in the belly, altered complexion, and dryness of the lips.
A condition or visible effect of wasting and heat.
- Lane · entry 42551
سُهَامٌ
A disease affecting camels.
A named camel ailment, distinct from the general symptoms of leanness and altered color.
- Lane · entry 42551
سَهُومٌ
An eagle.
The description “flying” is explicative rather than an additional lexical restriction.
- Lane · entry 42552
سُهُومٌ
A frown or anxious contraction of the face.
The expression is associated with anxiety or distress.
- Lane · entry 42553
سَهَّامٌ
A maker of arrows.
An occupational noun formed from the arrow sense.
- Lane · entry 42554
سَاهِمُ الوَجْهِ
Having an altered face or complexion.
The phrase is applied to a person and describes the visible effect of difficulty or distress.
- Lane · entry 42555
سَاهِمُ الوَجْهِ
Driven to perform an exhausting or distressing exertion, especially of running or battle.
Applied to a horse or to a person compelled to strenuous action.
- Lane · entry 42555
سَاهِمَةٌ
Lean or lank in the belly, applied to a she-camel.
A specific feminine participial application in the lexical evidence.
- Lane · entry 42555
سَوَاهِمُ
Camels altered or worn by journeying.
A plural form describing the effects of travel on camels.
- Lane · entry 42555
مُسْهَمٌ
A half-blooded horse or stallion-camel, descended from a high-bred sire and a lower-bred dam.
In a poetic figurative application, the image describes an unsuitable or unequal marriage partner.
- Lane · entry 42556
مُسْهَمٌ
Wasting away in body through love, or losing one's reason.
Applied to a person whose body or rational faculties are declining.
- Lane · entry 42556
مُسْهَمٌ
Loquacious or profuse in speech.
A variant formation related in meaning to مُسْهَبٌ or مُسْهِبٌ, with م reported in place of ب.
- Lane · entry 42556
مُسَهَّمٌ
A garment marked with stripes or lines.
Especially a striped garment of the type called بُرْد; the markings are likened to arrows.
- Lane · entry 42558
مَسْهُومٌ
Lean or lank in the belly, or affected by scorching heat.
Applied to a person in the reported adjectival construction.
- Lane · entry 42559
مَسْهُومٌ
Smitten with the disease called سُهَام, applied to a camel.
A passive participial description of a camel affected by the named disease.
- Lane · entry 42559
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic Form III occurrence is specifically the lot-drawing construction; the ordinary noun meanings of arrow and share are broader Classical Arabic branches and are not being assigned to that Quranic form.
The Quranic location 37:141 is supplied by QAC; the historical citation in the lexical evidence is not independently converted into a modern location.