إِلْفٌ

[originally a verbal noun of أَلِفَهُ, q. v.,] He with whom one is familiar, sociable, companionable, friendly, or amicable; he to whom one keeps or cleaves; [a constant companion or associate; a mate; a fellow; a yoke-fellow; one who is familiar, &c., with another or others; (see مُوءَلَّفٌ;)] (M;) i. q. ↓ أَلِيفٌ; (T, S, M, K;) which is an act. particle n. of أَلِفَهُ; (Msb;) as is also ↓ الِفٌ; (Msb, K;) and ↓ أَلِفٌ also is synonym with أَلِيفٌ: (K:) the female is termed إِلْفَةٌ and إِلْفٌ; (M;) both of these signifying a woman with whom thou art familiar, &c., and who is familiar, &c., with thee: (K:) and the feminine of ↓ الِفٌ is الِفَةٌ: (K:) the plural of إِلْفٌ is الَافٌ; (T, M;) which is also plural of ↓ أَلِفٌ: (TA:) and that of ↓ أَلِيفٌ is أَلَايءِفُ (S, K, TA) and أُلَفَاءُ: (M, TA:) and that of ↓ الِفٌ is أُلَّافٌ (T, S, Msb, K) and الَافٌ, like as أَنْصَارٌ is plural of نَاصِرٌ, (TA,) and so, (M, TA,) in my opinion, [says ISd,] (M,) is أُلُوفٌ, like as شُهُودٌ is plural of شَاهِدٌ, (M, TA,) though some say that it is plural of إِلْفٌ: (M:) and the plural of ↓ الِفَةٌ is أَوَالِفُ and الِفَاتٌ. (K.) You say, فثلَانٌ إِلْفِى and ↓ أَلِيفِى [Such a one is my constant companion or associate, &c.] (T.) And حَنَّتِ الإِلْفُ إِلَى إِلْفِ [The female mate yearned towards the mate]. (S.) And نَزَعَ البَعِيرُ إِلَى الَافِهِ [The camel yearned towards his mates]. (T.) أُلَّافٌ, (T,) or الَافٌ (TA,) is said by IAar to mean Persons who keep to the large towns, or cities. (T, TA.) أُلُوفٌ in the Qur'an, 2:244 is said by some to be plural of إِلْفٌ or of ↓ الِفٌ: but by others, to signify "thousands." (Bd, L, TA.) الطَّيْرِ ↓ أَوَالِفُ signifies The birds that keep to Mekkeh and the sacred territory: and الحَمَامِ ↓ أَوَالِفُ Domestic pigeons. (T.)