حَاطِبٌ

A collector of firewood: (Msb, TA:) and so ↓ حَطَّابٌ, (A, Msb,) but in an intensive sense: (Msb:) or the latter, one who collects and sells firewood: (TA:) and حَطَّابَةٌ a company of collectors of firewood: (S, Mgh:) and إِمَاءٌ حَوَاطِبُ [plural of حَاطِبَةٌ] female slaves who collect firewood. (A, TA.)

[Hence,] هُوَ حَاطِبُ لَيْلٍ (tropical:) He is one who confuses in his speech, (A, K,) and in his affair: (TA:) or one who speaks what is bad and what is good: (S, TA:) like him who collects firewood by night; (TA;) for this person sees not what he collects in his rope, (S, TA,) so he collects bad and good. (TA.) Az says, one who acts unjustly towards himself is likened to a collector of wood by night, because the latter may chance to put his hand upon a viper, and be bitten by it: and so is one who does not restrain his tongue, but censures others; by doing which a man sometimes occasions his own death. (TA.) It is said in a prov., المِكْثَارُ حَاطِبُ لَيْلٍ (tropical:) The loquacious is [like] a collector of firewood by night. (A 'Obeyd, TA.)