مهلا

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Arabic

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From the root م ه ل (m-h-l). Adverbial accusative of مَهْل (mahl, slowness, ease).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Verb

[edit]

مَهْلًا (mahlan)

  1. (defective, transitive) act slowly, gently, leisurely!
    • 6th century, Imru' al-Qais, أفاطم مهلا:
      أَفَاطِمُ مَهْلًا بَعْضَ هٰذَا ٱلتَّدَلُّلِ
      وَإِنْ كُنْتِ قَدْ أَزْمَعْتِ صَرْمِي فَأَجْمِلِي
      ʔafāṭimu mahlan baʕḍa hāḏā t-tadalluli
      waʔin kunti qad ʔazmaʕti ṣarmī faʔajmilī
      Oh Fatima go easy on the coquetry
      and if you have already decided to leave me, do it gently.

Usage notes

[edit]

The verb is defective and does not conjugate or receive case endings; it is used the same way with the same final vowels in all contexts.