פשר

Aramaic

Verb

פשר • (transliteration needed)

1. to interpret, to explain
2. to melt, to dissolve

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
פ־שׁ־ר (p-sh-r)

The noun is attested from the Bible; the verbs are first attested in Talmudic literature.

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /piʃr/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈpeː.ʃɛr/, [ˈpʰeː.ʃɛʀ]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈpe.ʃar/, [ˈpʰeː.ʃær]
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈpe.ʃeʁ̞/

Noun

פֵּשֶׁר • (pésher) m (no plural forms, singular construct פֵּשֶׁר־) [pattern: קֵטֶל]

1. A solution, an explanation, an interpretation.
   • Ecclesiastes 8:1:

     מִי כְּהֶחָכָם וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ פֵּשֶׁר דָּבָר חָכְמַת אָדָם תָּאִיר פָּנָיו וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא׃

     mí k'hekhakhám umí yodéa pésher davár khokhmát adám ta'ír panáv v'óz panáv y'shuné.

     Who [is] as the wise [man]? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

2. (פֵּשֶׁר־, pésher-) singular construct state form of פֵּשֶׁר‎.

Verb

פָּשַׁר • (pashár) (pa'al construction)

1. (intransitive, of a solid) To melt: to become liquid.
2. (intransitive) To thaw: to become lukewarm (instead of cold).
3. (transitive) To solve, to explain.

Verb

פִּשֵּׁר • (pishér) (pi'el construction)

1. defective spelling of פישר.

References

• “פשר, פָּשַׁר” in Abraham Even-Shoshan (אַבְרָהָם אֶבֶן־שׁוֹשָׁן) et al., הַמִּלּוֹן הֶחָדָשׁ (ha-milón he-khadásh, “The New Dictionary”), Kiryat-Sefer Ltd. (קִרְיַת־סֵפֶר בְּע״ם)‎ (1984), →ISBN, volume 2 of 3 (ל to צ), →ISBN, page 1111.
• “פֵּשֶׁר” in Abraham Even-Shoshan (אַבְרָהָם אֶבֶן־שׁוֹשָׁן) et al., הַמִּלּוֹן הֶחָדָשׁ (ha-milón he-khadásh, “The New Dictionary”), Kiryat-Sefer Ltd. (קִרְיַת־סֵפֶר בְּע״ם)‎ (1984), →ISBN, volume 2 of 3 (ל to צ), →ISBN, page 1111.