شَفًا

The point or extremity, verge, brink, or edge, of anything; (S, Msb, K, &c.;) like ↓ شَفَةٌ; for شَفَا الحُفْرَةِ (Ksh in iii. 99) or شَفَا البِيءْرِ (Bd ibid.) and شَفَتُهَا both signify the same, (Ksh, Bd,) i. e. حَرْفُهَا (Ksh) or طَرَفُهَا; (Bd;) but the final و in the former is changed into ا, and in the latter [according to those who hold شَفَةٌ to be originally شَفْوَةٌ] it is elided; (Ksh, Bd;) شَفًا being originally شَفَوٌ: (Bd:) [but شَفًا generally signifies as explained above; and شَفَةٌ almost always signifies the “ lip ” of a human being:] the dual is شَفَوَانِ; this being known, as Akh says, by the fact that إِمَالَة in the word شَفًا is not allowable: (S:) and the plural is أَشْفَاءٌ. (TA.) It is said in the Qur'an, 3:99, وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا [And ye were on the verge, or brink, of a pit of the fire of Hell, and He saved, or rescued, you from it]. (S.) And one says, هُوَ عَلَى شَفَا الهَلَاكِ (tropical:) [He is on the brink of destruction]. (TA.)

Also (tropical:) A little; (S, A, K, TA;) a small part, or portion; somewhat; (A, TA;) somewhat remaining of the moon when near the change, (K, TA, [الهَلاك in the CK is erroneously put for الهِلَال,]) and of the sight (البَصَر), and of the day, and the like, as in the T. (TA.) One says of a man on the occasion of his dying, and of the moon at [the last period of the month called] its مُحَاق, and of the sun at its setting, (S,) مَا بَقِىَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا شَفًا [and مِنْهَا when said of the sun] (assumed tropical:) There has not remained of him, or it, save a little: (S, K: *) and [in like manner] مِنَ العُمُرِ [of life]. (S.) And one says, أَتَيْتُهُ بِشَفًا مِنْ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ (assumed tropical:) [I came to him in a time when there was little remaining of the light of the sun]. (TA.) El-'Ajjáj says,

أَشْرَفْتُهُ بِلَا شَفًا أَوْ بِشَفَا

وَمِرْبَأٍ عَالٍ لِمَنٌ تَشَرَّفَا

meaning [Many an elevated place of observation, high to him who ascends it, I have ascended] when the sun had set or when there was somewhat of it remaining. (S.) One says also, صَارَ فِى شَفَا القَمَرِ meaning (assumed tropical:) He was, or became, in the last part of the night. (TA.) And it is said in a tradition, (in relation to [the temporary marriage termed] المُتْعَة,) فَلَوْ لَا نَهْيُهُ عَنْهَا مَا احْتَاجَ إِلَى الزِّنَا إِلَّا شَفًا, according to the T meaning [Were it not for his (i. e. God's) forbidding it, none would need having recourse to fornication,] save a small number of men: (T, TA:) or, according to 'Atà, it means, but would be on the brink thereof, without falling into it; شَفًا being thus used in the place of the verbal noun إِشْفَاء: so says IAth, as from Az. (TA.)