عَجَبٌ
1.
[originally an int. n.] (S, O, K) and
عُجْبٌ, (according to the K,) or
عَجْبٌ, (according to the TA,) Wonder; i. e. a deeming strange, extraordinary, or improbable, what occurs, or presents itself, to one, (K, TA,) on account of being little accustomed to it; (TA;) or [the effect, upon the mind, of] the consideration of a thing with which one is not familiar, and to which one is not accustomed: (IAar, TA:) for a distinction between عَجَبٌ and
عَجْبٌ, see 1, in the middle of the paragraph: the plural of عَجَبٌ [in this sense] is [said to be] أَعْجَابٌ; (K;) or it has no plural: (S, O, K:) [this statement correctly applies to عَجَبٌ as an epithet; for as such it is apparently used as singular and plural, being originally a verbal noun:] but El-'Ajjáj has pluralized it, [regarding it in the sense explained above,] saying,
[They mentioned griefs to him who grieved, and they excited wonder to him who wondered]. (O.) يَا لَلْعَجَبِ [may be rendered O case of wonder! but properly] means O wonder come, for this is thy time: and يَا لِلْعَجَبِ [may also be rendered O case of wonder! but properly] means O [people, or the like, come] to wonder; the noun signifying the invoked being suppressed. (Har p. 27.)ذَكَرْنَ أَشْجَابًا لِمَنْ تَشَجَّبَاوَهِجْنَ أَعْجَابًا لِمَنْ تَعَجَّبَا
2.
It is also an epithet applied to a thing, an affair, an event, or a case; one says أَمْرٌ عَجَبٌ [A wonderful thing or affair &c.]; and so
عَجِيبٌ [which is more common in this sense], and
عُجَابٌ, and
عُجَّابٌ: or
عَجِيبٌ is synonym with
عَجَبٌ; but
عُجَابٌ signifies more than
عَجَبٌ: (K:) or
عُجَابٌ is synonym with
عَجِيبٌ, (S, O,) which signifies a thing, (S, O, Msb,) or an affair, or event, or a case, (S, O,) wondered at; (S, O, Msb, TA;) or inducing wonder, or admiration, and pleasure, or joy; or pleasing, or rejoicing; synonym
مُعْجِبٌ; (TA;) and
عُجَّابٌ; signifies more than
عَجَبٌ: (S, O, TA:) [it is said that] عَجَبٌ has no plural; [apparently meaning when it is used as an epithet, as observed above;] nor has
عَجِيبٌ; (S, O, K;) or the plural of this is عَجَايءِبُ [respecting which see عَجِيبَةٌ]; (S, O, K;) like as أَفَايءِلُ is plural of أَفِيلٌ; and تَبَايءِعُ, of تَبِيعٌ. (S, O.) [Being originally a verbal noun, it is used alike as masculine and feminine:] one says قِصَّةٌ عَجَبٌ [meaning A wonderful story: and for the same reason, it may, as an epithet, be also used alike as singular and plural: like عَدْلٌ &c.]. (O.)
3.
[It is also used as a subst. in a plural sense, signifying Wonders, as meaning wonderful things; like the plural عَجَايءِبُ, &c.; and it may be similarly used in a singular sense for شَىْءٌ عَجَبٌ or أَمْرٌ عَجَبٌ: but when used as a subst. in the plural sense explained above, it seems to be regarded by some as a coll. gen. n., of which
عَجَبَةٌ is the n. un.; for] one says, مَا
فُلَانٌ إِلَّا عَجَبَةٌ مِنَ العَجَبِ [Such a one is none other than a wonder of wonders]. (A, TA.) [Hence, also,] أَبُو العَجَبِ [lit. The father of wonders] is a surname of Fortune. (TA.) And it signifies also The practiser of legerdemain, or sleight-of-hand; synonym الشَّعْوَذِىُّ, (A, TA,) or المُشَعْوِذُ: (Eth-Tha'álibee, TA in شعذ:) and any one who does wonderful things. (A, TA.) And a poet says,
[for يَا أَعْجَبُ عَجَبًا O, I wonder greatly, lit. with wondering, at fortune that is ever attended with wonders]. (TA.) [See also عَجِيبَةٌ.]يَا عَجَبًا لِلدَّهْرِ ذِى الأَعْجَابِ