Quranic root
ثلل
th · l · l
The root has two divergent semantic orientations: gathering and falling, demolition, or abasement.
The gathering branch extends from gathered wool to flocks and human companies. The falling branch extends to earth removed from wells, collapse, destruction, death, and the loss of power or standing. These root-level developments do not make every branch a meaning of every derived form.
- Maqāyīs · row 1036
- Mufradāt · row 206
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 3
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
ثُلَّة
thullah
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A gathered company or group of people.
In the Quranic expressions ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ and ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ, it denotes a company or group of people.
- Lane · entry 27425
- Mufradāt · row 206
Selected Quran examples
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 3 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 29 Classical meanings
ثَلَّ
To put or pour earth back into a grave or well after it has been dug.
The object is earth used to refill the excavation.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ
To pour forth money, or to remove and empty what is in a receptacle.
The lexical evidence includes pouring out pieces of money and taking out the contents of a container.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ
To take a gathered portion from something.
This is a classical construction with ثُلَّة understood as a gathered portion.
- Mufradāt · row 206
ثَلَّ
To dislodge, break, or dig into a collected mass of earth, a sandheap, or a house so that it falls; to demolish or break a thing.
The evidence covers both causing a mass or structure to fall and demolition by undermining it.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ عَرْشَهُ
To bring down or ruin a person's dominion, power, or means of support; for such standing to collapse or depart.
In the expression ثَلَّ عَرْشُهُ, the result may be loss of power, ruin, or abasement; one interpretation describes a portion or company falling away from him.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ
To kill or destroy a man or people.
The transitive use concerns the destruction of persons; related usage can describe causing someone to die.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثُلَّ
To die or perish.
This is the intransitive or resultative use of the verb.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ
To take or cast earth or mud out of a well.
The use includes removing earth from a well and mud from its bottom.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ
Of a beast or solid-hoofed animal, to dung.
The construction is predicated of the animal or its hoof.
- Lane · entry 27418
ثَلَّ
To become rich or financially competent.
This is a separate intransitive classical use.
- Lane · entry 27418
أَثَلَّ
To abound in ثَلَّة, whether wool or a flock of sheep or goats.
The derived verb is Form IV and is predicated of a person possessing much of what is called ثَلَّة.
- Lane · entry 27419
أَثَلَّ
To order or command the repair of something.
The object may be something thrown down or demolished.
- Lane · entry 27419
تَثَلَّلَ
To become thrown down or demolished; to fall gradually, part after part.
The evidence applies this especially to a house and to a well.
- Lane · entry 27420
- Mufradāt · row 206
اِنْثَلَّ
To pour forth or become poured forth; of people, to stream upon or against someone.
The plural construction اِنْثَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ describes people pouring themselves forth upon or against another.
- Lane · entry 27421
ثَلَّة
Earth or mud taken from a well, including the ground around its mouth; also, a grave filled with earth after digging.
These related senses concern earth associated with excavating and refilling a well or grave.
- Lane · entry 27424
ثَلَّة
A clay or mud structure made in the desert for shade.
The structure is compared with a small shelter or beacon-like construction.
- Lane · entry 27424
ثَلَّة
Wool, especially a gathered quantity of wool; by extension, animal fiber described as wool, goats' hair, or camel hair in various specifications.
Classical authorities differ over which combinations of wool and other animal hair are included.
- Lane · entry 27424
- Mufradāt · row 206
ثَلَّة
A flock of sheep or goats, whether few or many, and in some specifications especially a numerous flock of sheep.
The evidence records differing specifications concerning sheep, goats, and the size of the flock.
- Lane · entry 27424
ثَلَّة
Many pieces of money or a large amount of money.
This is a nominal use distinct from the verb meaning ‘to pour forth money.’
- Lane · entry 27424
ثَلَّة
An interval of two days, or abstention from water for two days, between two drinkings by camels.
This technical use belongs to the terminology of camels coming to water.
- Lane · entry 27424
ثُلَّة
A person who remains or stays settled.
This is a rare classical designation associated with the idea of remaining together or settled.
- Mufradāt · row 206
ثِلَّة
Death, perdition, or destruction.
The noun can also function as an infinitive associated with killing or destroying.
- Lane · entry 27426
ثُلَّى
The perishing or passing away of might, power, or elevated condition.
This is a nominal expression for the decline of an elevated or powerful state.
- Lane · entry 27427
مُثِلّ
A man abounding in ثَلَّة, such as wool or a flock.
The adjective is defined through the classical noun ثَلَّة rather than through the Quranic noun ثُلَّة.
- Lane · entry 27429
مِثَلّ
A colt that dungs much.
This occurs in the phrase مُهْرٌ مِثَلٌّ.
- Lane · entry 27430
مُثَلِّل
Collecting wealth and managing or arranging it well.
The meaning includes putting wealth into a good state or condition.
- Lane · entry 27431
ثَلَل
Shortening of the teeth caused by the loss of part of them.
This is an anatomical use of the noun.
- Mufradāt · row 206
أَثَلَّ
Of the mouth, to lose its teeth or have its teeth fall out.
The object of the derived verb is the mouth in this anatomical construction.
- Mufradāt · row 206
مَثْلُول
A house that has been thrown down or demolished.
This is a passive participial description of a demolished house.
- Lane · entry 27432
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic form ثُلَّة denotes a company or group of people; the wool, flock, money, well-earth, and demolition branches belong to other classical uses and should not be imported into the Quranic sense.
Classical authorities give competing specifications for the composition or scope of ثَلَّة in its wool and flock meanings; these variations are retained without making them restrictions on the Quranic noun.