عَوِيصٌ

A difficult thing, or affair: (Msb:) and the same, (K,) or ↓ عَوْصَاءُ, (O, TA,) applied to a calamity (دَاهِيَة) difficult, severe, grievous, or distressing: (O, K, TA:) IJ holds it to be used [only] as a subst. (M, voce صَوِيبٌ.)

Also Language Difficult to be understood: (Msb:) obscure; or not comprehended or understood; as also ↓ أَعْوَصُ and ↓ عَايءِصٌ, which last is [originally] a verbal noun, like فَالِجٌ &c.: (TA:) poetry of which the meaning is difficult to be elicited; (S, O, K;) as also ↓ أَعْوَصُ: (O, K:) also عَوِيصٌ, (K, TA,) and عَوِيصَةٌ, (TA,) and ↓ عَوْصَاءُ, (S, Msb, K, TA,) applied to a word, or an expression, or a sentence, or the like, (كَلِمَة,) strange: (S, K:) or difficult to be understood. (Msb.)

Also, applied to earth [تُرَاب), Hard: (K:) and ↓ عَوْصَاءُ, applied to a piece of sand (رَمْلَة), difficult to traverse: (MF:) or, according to ISh, the latter is applied as an epithet to what is termed مَيْثَاءُ, [of which one signification is an even, or a soft, tract of sand,] in the sense of مُخَالِفَةٌ [apparently meaning opposing one's progress]: and the state, or quality, thereof, is termed ↓ عَوَصٌ. (O, TA.)

And, applied to a place, Rugged, high, and difficult. (Ibn-'Abbád, O, K.)

Also, (K,) or ↓ عَوْصَاءُ, (S, O, TA,) [as an epithet in which the quality of a subst. predominates,] A difficult affair: (K, TA:) or the most difficult of affairs. (S, O, TA.) You say, ↓ فُلَانٌ يَرْكَبُ العَوْصَاءَ Such a one embarks in, or undertakes, the most difficult of affairs. (S, O, TA.)

Also عَوِيصٌ, (K,) or ↓ عَوْصَاءُ, (S, TA,) Difficulty, or distress: (S, K:) or difficulty and want. (TA in article عيص.) You say, ↓ أَصَابَتْهُمْ عَوْصَاءُ Difficulty, or distress, befell them. (TA.) And عَيْصَاءُ signifies the same; the ى being interchangeable with the و. (TA.)