عَشْوَةٌ
1.
Darkness, (K, TA,) in [any part of] the night and in the سَحَر [or period a little before daybreak]; (TA;) as also
عَشْوَاءُ: (K:) or the first of the darkness of the night: (Az, TA:) or the period between the beginning and [the end of] the [first] quarter of the night: (AZ, S, K:) thus in the saying, مَضَى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ عَشْوَةٌ [A period between the beginning &c. of the night passed]: and one says also, أَخَذْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالعَشْوَةِ, meaning [I laid hold upon them] in the blackness of night: (AZ, S:) the diminutive is
عُشَيَّةٌ. (Az, TA.) In the saying جَاءَ عَشْوَةَ, meaning عِشَاءً [i. e. He came at nightfall], it [is an adv. n. which] may not be used otherwise than thus: you may not say, مَضَتْ عَشْوَةُ. (TA.)
2.
العشوة [apparently العَشْوَةُ] as meaning العَشَاءُ, like الغدوة [apparently الغَدْوَةُ] as meaning الغَدَاءُ, is vulgar. (TA.)
3.
Also The venturing upon, or embarking in, an affair that is not clear; as also
عِشْوَةٌ and
عُشْوَةٌ: (S, K:) one says, أَوْطَأْتَنِى عَشْوَةً and عِشْوَةً and عُشْوَةً, meaning [Thou hast made me to venture upon, or embark in,] a confused and dubious affair: this is when you tell him of a thing by means of which you have made him to fall into perplexity or trial. (S.)
4.
خَبَّاطُ عَشَوَاتٍ, occurring in a tradition, see explained in article خبط.