عَمَلٌ

[mentioned in the beginning of this article as a verbal noun] is synonym with مَِهْنَةٌ and فِعْلٌ: (K:) [accordingly, when used as a simple subst., it may be rendered Work, labour, or service: and a deed, or an action:] or it has a more particular meaning than فِعْلٌ; for it is a فِعْل [or deed] with a sort of difficulty; and therefore it is not attributed to God: or, according to Er-Rághib, it is any فِعْل [i. e. deed or action] that proceeds from an animate being by his intention; and thus it has a more particular meaning than فِعْلٌ; for the فعل is sometimes attributed to animate beings from which it proceeds without intention; and sometimes to inanimate things, to which the عَمَل is seldom attributed; and this is not used in relation to [irrational] animals except [as implied] in the phrases إِبِلٌ عَوَامِلُ and بَقَرٌ عَوَامِلُ: or, according to MF, the عَمَل is a motion of the whole, or of a portion, of the body; and sometimes, of the mind; so that it is the utterance of a saying, as well as the doing a deed with the member, or limb, with which things are gained or earned; though most readily understood as applied particularly to the latter; and some apply it particularly to that which is not a saying: it is also said that a saying is not termed عَمَلٌ in the common conventional language: and the truth is said to be, that it is not included in the terms عَمَلٌ and فِعْلٌ otherwise than tropically: (TA:) [see also عَمِلَةٌ:] the plural of عَمَلٌ [used as a simple subst.] is أَعْمَالٌ. (K.) In the following saying, of a woman dandling her child, (S,) or of Keys Ibn-Ásim, (O, TA,) dandling his child Hakeem, (TA,)

أَشْبِهْ أَبَا أُمِّكَ أَوْ أَشْبِهْ عَمَلْ

the last word is a proper name of a man: (S, O, TA:) or, according to Aboo-Zekereeyà, [the meaning is, Share thou in the qualities of the father of thy mother, or share thou in the qualities of my course of action; for he says that] by عَمَلْ is here meant عَمَلِى. (TA.) اِبْنُ عَمَلِى means He who does my work, or the like of what I do. (TA in article بنى.) And [hence,] فُلَانٌ ابْنُ عَمَلٍ Such a one is strong. (TA.) And بَنُو عَمَلٍ Those who journey on foot. (O, K, * TA.) [And عَمَلُ النَّخْلِ, occurring in the T, voce ضَيْعَةٌ, means The culture of palm-trees: like as عَمَلُ الأرْضِ means agriculture].

And عَمَلٌ signifies also The striving, labouring, or toiling, in work; or the holding on, or continuing, in work: so in the saying of El- Kutámee

فَقَدْ يَهُونُ عَلَى المُسْتَنْجِحِ العَمَلُ

[For verily the striving, &c., in work is a light matter to him who seeks success]. (TA.)

[Also An office of administration; and particularly the office of governor of a province; and the office of collector of the poor-rates, and the like: and an agency of any kind; the management of the affairs and property of another; an employment.

Also A province; or territory under a governor appointed by a sovereign. Pl. in this and other senses as above.]