حَلْقَةٌ

[A single act of shaving]. One says to a beloved child, when he belches, حَلْقَةً وَكَبْرَةً وَشَحْمَةً فِى السُّرَّةِ, i. e. May thy head be shaven time after time, (Ibn-'Abbád, K, *) so that thou mayest grow old, (Ibn-'Abbád, TA,) [and acquire fat at the navel:] or mayest thou be preserved so as to have thy head shaven, and to grow old. (A, TA.)

-A2- As meaning A ring; i. e. anything circular; as a حلقة of iron, and of silver, and of gold; (TA;) a حلقة of a coat of mail, &c.; (Mgh;) the حلقة of a door; and a حلقة of people; (S, K;) in this last instance meaning a ring of people; (Msb, TA;) it is also with fet-h to the ل; i. e. ↓ حَلَقَةٌ; (S, Mgh, Msb, K;) mentioned by Yoo, on the authority of Aboo-'Amr Ibn-El-'Alà, (S, Msb,) and with kesr; (K;) i. e. ↓ حَلِقَةٌ; mentioned by Fr and El-Umawee, as of the dialect of Belhárith Ibn-Kaab; according to the O; or ↓ حِلْقَةٌ, according to the L: (TA:) or there is no such word as ↓ حَلَقَةٌ, (S, K,) in chaste speech, (TA,) except as plural of حَالِقٌ; (S, K;) according to Aboo-'Amr Esh-Sheybánee; (S;) or it is a dialect var. of weak authority; (K;) according to Th, allowed by all, though of weak authority; (S;) or it is used by poetic license; (Mgh:) Lh says that the حلقة of a door is حَلْقَةٌ and ↓ حَلَقَةٌ; Kr says the same of the حلقة of a company of men; Lth says that it is the former in this case, but that some say the latter; A 'Obeyd prefers the latter in the case of a حلقة of iron, but allows the former; and prefers the former in the case of a حلقة of people, but allows the latter; and Abu-l-'Abbás prefers the former in both cases, but allows the latter: (L:) the plural is ↓ حَلَقٌ, (S, Msb, K,) which is anomalous in relation to حَلْقَةٌ, (S, Msb,) or [rather] a quasipl. n., (TA,) but regular in relation to حَلَقَةٌ, (Msb, TA,) [as a coll. gen. n.,] like قَصَبٌ in relation to قَصَبَةٌ; (Msb;) and, (K,) according to As, (S,) حِلَقٌ, (S, K,) as plural of حَلْقَةٌ meaning a حلقة of men and of iron, (TA,) like بِدَرٌ (S, K) plural of بَدْرَةٌ, and قِصَعٌ plural of قَصْعَةٌ; (S;) or this is a regular plural of حِلْقَةٌ; (TA;) and حَلَقَاتٌ, (AA, Yoo, S, K,) which is plural of حَلَقَةٌ; (TA;) and حِلَقَاتٌ, (K,) which is plural of حِلْقَةٌ; (TA;) and حِلَاقٌ in relation to a company of men. (TA.) You say, اِنْتَزَعْتُ حَلْقَتَهُ [lit. I pulled off his ring], meaning, (apparently, Ibn-'Abbád,) (assumed tropical:) I outwent him, or preceded him. (Ibn-'Abbád, K.) And كَالحَلْقَةِ المُفْرَغَةِ [Like the solid and continuous ring]: a prov., applied to a company of men united in words and action. (TA.) And ضَرَبُوا بُيُوتَهُمْ حِلَاقًا They pitched their tents in one series, (K, TA,) so as to form a ring [or rings]: the last word being a plural of حَلْقَةٌ or of حلقَةٌ. (TA.) And it is said in a tradition, نُهِىَ عَنِ الحِلَقِ قَبْلَ الصَّلَاةِ, i. e. Rings of men [sitting in the mosque before prayer are forbidden]. (TA.)

[Hence,] حَلْقَتَا الرَّحِمِ (tropical:) [The two rings of the womb]: one of these is the mouth of the vulva, at its extremity; [the meatus of the vagina:] and the other is that which closes upon the مَاء [or seminal fluid] and opens for the menstrual discharge; [the os uteri:] (K:) or, as some say, the other is that whence the urine is emitted; [the meatus urinarius: but the former is the right explanation: and hence] one says, مَاء النُّطْفَةُ فِى حَلْقَةِ الرَّحِمِ (tropical:) The seminal fluid fell into the entrance of the womb. (TA.) [Hence also,] حَلْقَةُ الدُّبُرِ (assumed tropical:) The anus; synonym حِتَارُهُ and شَرَجُهُ. (Mgh in article شرج.) [See also خَاتَمٌ, last sentence but two.]

حَلْقَةٌ also signifies A brand upon camels, (K, TA,) of a round form, like the حلقة [or ring] of a door. (TA.)

And A coat of mail: [because made of rings:] (K:) or coats of mail: (S, Mgh:) or arms, or weapons, in general, (M, Mgh, Msb,) and coats of mail, and the like. (M, TA.) It is said in a tradition, إِنَّكُمْ أَهْلُ الحَلْقَةِ والحُصُونِ [Verily ye are people of the coat of mail, &c., and of fortresses]. (TA.)

And A rope. (K, TA.)

And, of a vessel, (AZ, K,) and of a watering-trough, (AZ,) (tropical:) The portion that remains vacant after one has put in it somewhat (AZ, K) of food or beverage, up to the half; the portion that is above the half being thus called: (AZ:) [or] of a wateringtrough, (tropical:) the fulness; or less than that. (Aboo-Málik, K.) One says, وَفَّيْتُ حَلْقَةَ الحَوْضِ and الإِنَاءَ (tropical:) [I filled up the حلقة of the watering-trough and of the vessel]. (AZ, TA.)