أَشْجَعُ

; feminine شَجْعَاءُ: see شُجَاعٌ, in four places. You say also, لَبُوءَةٌ شَجْعَاءُ A bold lioness. (TA.)

Applied to a man, according to some, it signifies, (S,) or it signifies also, (K,) In whom is lightness, or unsteadiness, like what is termed هَوَجٌ, (S, K,) by reason of his strength. (S.) See also شَجِعٌ.

Mad; or possessed by a devil: (TA:) Lth says that, applied to a man, it signifies one who is as though there were in him madness, or diabolical possession; but Az says that this is a mistake; for, were this its meaning, the poets would not have used it in praise. (TA, in another part of the article)

Tall: (IDrd, Msb, K:) and so the feminine applied to a woman. (IDrd, Msb.)

Bulky; big-bodied; or stout: or, as some say, youthful; or in a state of youthful vigour. (TA.)

The lion. (Lth, S, K.)

It is said in the K that الأَشْجَعُ also signifies الدَّهْرُ [i. e. Time; or fortune; &c.]; and J says that this is what the poet means by the expression, أَشْجَعُ أَخَّاذٌ: but this cannot be the correct meaning, for the poet, namely El-Aashà, says,

بِأَشْجَعَ أَخَّاذٍ عَلَى الدَّهْرِ حُكْمُهُ

by الاشجع meaning himself, or some other thing. (TA.)

-A2- Also, (S, K,) and إِشْجَعٌ, (K,) or the latter according to some, but this was not known to Abu-l-Ghowth, (S,) singular of أَشَاجِعُ, [in some copies of the S written أَشَاجِيعُ, but the former, which, as is mentioned in the TA, is found in the handwriting of J, is that which is commonly known,] which signifies [The knuckles nearest to the wrist; this being what is meant by] the bases (أُصُول) of the fingers, which are connected with the tendons of the outer side of the hand: (S, K:) in the T, we find the heads (رُوءُوس) of the fingers, instead of اصول: (TA:) or اشجع in the hand and foot [but see what follows] signifies the tendons extended above the سُلَامَى [here meaning the metacarpal and metatarsal bones] from the wrist to the bases (أُصُول) of the fingers or toes, which are called أَطْنَابُ الأَصَابِعِ, above the outer side of the hand: or the bone which connects the finger with the wrist; [i. e. the metacarpal bone;] every finger having to it a bone thus called: he who says that the أَشَاجِع [so here instead of اشجع as above] are the tendons calls those bones the أُسْنَاع. (TA.) Aboo-Bekr is described as عَارِى الأَشَاجِعِ عَنْ مَفَاصِلِ الأَصَابِعِ, meaning Having little flesh upon what are thus termed: or having their tendons apparent. (TA.) [See also رَاجِبَةٌ and بُرْجُمَةٌ.]

-A3- أَشْجَعُ مِنْ دِيكٍ [More courageous than a cock] is one of the proverbs of the Arabs. (Mgh.)