حَلْفَاء
1.
[apparently حَلْفَاءٌ according to some, and حَلْفَاءٌ according to others, (in the CK, erroneously, حُلَفاء,)], (S, Msb, K, &c.,) in measure like حَمْرَاء, [and if so, حَلْفَاءُ, but see what follows,] (Msb,) and
حَلَفٌ, (Akh, K,) [A kind of high, coarse grass; called by the botanists poa multiflora, and poa cynosuroïdes;] a certain plant, (S, Msb, K,) [growing] in water, (S,) well known, (Msb,) of those termed
أَغْلَاث: (TA:) Aboo-Ziyád says of the حلفاء that it seldom grows anywhere but near to water or to the bottom of a valley; and is long, or tall, (سلبة,) rough to the touch; seldom, or never, does any one lay hold upon it, for fear of his hand being cut; sometimes camels and sheep or goats eat a little of it; and it is much liked by oxen: (AHn, TA:) [a coll. gen. n.:] n. un.
حَلَفَةٌ, (S, K,) according to AZ, (S,) or Aboo-Ziyád, and AHn, (TA,) and
حَلِفَةٌ, (S, K,) according to As, (S,) and حَلْفَاءَةٌ, (Msb, K,) like صَحْرَاءَةٌ: (K: [in the CK like صَحْرَةٌ, and omitted in my copy of the TA:]) [this last n. un. requires that the coll. gen. n. should be حَلْفَاءٌ: (see 4, last sentence:) but] Sb says that حلفاء is singular and plural: [see شَجَرٌ:] (TA:) [as plural, it is feminine; and it is made feminine in the description by Aboo-Ziyád, cited above:] sometimes it has حَلَافِىُّ for plural: and its diminutive is
حُلَيْفَيَّةٌ. (O, TA.) أَنَا الَّذِي
فِى الحَلْفَاءِ, occurring in a tradition, means (assumed tropical:) I am the lion; because that beast repairs to the places where the حلفاء grows: and [hence,] كَأَنَّهُ أَخُو
الحَلْفَاءِ means (assumed tropical:) As though he were the lion. (TA.)
2.