عَقْرَبٌ

[The scorpion;] a certain venomous reptile, (TA,) well known: (K, TA:) the word is masculine (TA) and it is feminine, (S, O, K, TA,) generally the latter; (T, Msb, TA;) but is applied to the male and the female: (Lth, T, O, Msb, TA:) and the male is called عُقْرُبَانٌ, (T, S, O, Msb, K, TA,) according to some, (O,) when one desires to denote it in a corroborative manner, (Msb, TA,) and عُقْرُبَّانٌ also; (K;) or these two words are synonym with عَقْرَبٌ: (K:) and the female is called عَقْرَبَةٌ, (T, S, O, Msb, K,) sometimes, (T, Msb,) and عَقْرَبَاءُ, which is imperfectly decl.; (S, O, K;) or these two words and عَقْرَبٌ, according to the “ Tahreer et-Tembeeh, ” all denote the female, and the male is called عُقْرُبَانٌ: (TA:) or, as some say, the male and the female are called only عَقْرَبٌ: (Msb, TA:) and of عُقْرُبَانٌ it is said by IB, on the authority of AHát, that it does not signify the male of عَقَارِب, but [as explained below] “ a certain creeping thing, having long legs: ” (TA:) IJ says that you may drop the ا and ن, and say عُقْرُرَّان: (L, TA:) and an instance occurs of عَقْرَابٌ, as a coll. gen. n., in the following verse:

أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ العَقْرَابِ

اَلشَّايءِلَاتِ عُقَدَ الأَذْنَابِ

[I seek protection by God from the scorpions raising the joints of the tails]: but the ا here is said to be inserted for the purpose of what is termed الإِشْبَاع: (MF, from the “ Mukhtasar el-Bayán: ”) and الشايءلات is applied as an epithet to a singular n. because this is used as a coll. gen. n.: (M voce سَبْسَبٌ:) the plural of عَقْرَبٌ is عَقَارِبُ. (S, O.)

And [hence] العَقْرَبُ is the name of (assumed tropical:) A certain sign of the Zodiac, (T, S, O, K,) [i. e. Scorpio,] to which belong the Mansions of the Moon called الشَّوْلَةُ and القَلْبُ [and الإِكْلِيلُ] and الزُّبَانَيَانِ. (T, TA. [See these words, and see also شِيبَانُ, and مَنَازِلُ القَمَرِ in article نزل. It should also be observed that the Arabs extended the figure of this constellation (as they did that of Leo) far beyond the limits that we assign to it.])

[Hence, likewise,] عَقْرَبٌ signifies (assumed tropical:) A thong, or strap, of a sandal, (O, K, TA,) in the form of the reptile of this name. (TA.) [See also عَقْرَبَة.]

And (assumed tropical:) A thong, or strap, (O, K,) plaited, and having a buckle at its extremity, (O,) by which the crupper of a horse, or the like, is bound to the saddle. (O, K.)

And the plural عَقَارِبُ signifies also (tropical:) Malicious and mischievous misrepresentations, calumnies, or slanders. (O, K, TA.) One says, إِنَّهُ لَتَدِبُّ عَقَارِبُهُ (tropical:) Verily his malicious and mischievous misrepresentations, &c., creep along: (TA:) or he traduces, or defames, people behind their backs, or otherwise. (O, K.) And the phrase دَبَّتْ عَقَارِبُهُ is sometimes used to signify (tropical:) His downy hair crept [along his cheeks]. (MF.)

And (tropical:) Reproaches for benefits conferred: so in the saying of En-Nábighah,

عَلَىَّ لِعَمْرٍو نِعْمَةٌ بَعْدَ نِعْمَةٍ

لِوَالِدِهِ لَيْسَتْ بِذَاتِ عَقَارِبِ

(tropical:) [I owe unto 'Amr favour after favour, for his father, not accompanied by reproaches for benefits conferred]. (TA.)

And (assumed tropical:) Hardships, severities, difficulties, troubles, or distresses. (K.) عَقَارِبُ الشِّتَاءِ means (assumed tropical:) The hardships, severities, &c., of winter: (TA:) or the intense cold thereof: (O, K:) and عَقْرَبُ الشِّتَاءِ, according to IB, the assault, and intense cold, of winter. (TA.) And عَيْشٌ ذُو عَقَارِبَ means (assumed tropical:) An uneasy life: or a life in which is evil and roughness. (TA.)