صَفًا
1.
Stones: or smooth stones: and one thereof is termed صَفَاةٌ: [i. e. the former word is a coll. gen. n., and the latter is its n. un.:] the two words being like حَصًى and حَصَاةٌ: (Msb:) or صَفَاةٌ signifies a smooth rock: (S:) or a hard and smooth stone, large, and such as does not give growth to anything: (M, K:) and the plural of this is صَفًا [improperly thus termed a plural] (S, M, K) and صَفَوَاتٌ, (M, K,) and (S, M, K) that of صَفًا, (M, K, *) not of صَفَاةٌ, (M,) أَصْفَاءٌ and صُفِىٌّ (S, M, K) and صِفِىٌّ: (M, K:) or صَفًا signifies stones that are broad and smooth: (ISk, TA:) and [according to F,]
صَفْوَاءُ signifies the same as صَفَاةٌ, as also صَفْوَانَةٌ [in the CK erroneously written صَفْوَاة], of which the plural is
صَفْوَانٌ and
صَفَوَانٌ, (K,) which last is said by El-Háfidh to be a mistaken pronunciation of صَفْوَانٌ; (TA;) [but correctly,]
صَفْوَاءُ [which is a quasi-plural n.] and
صَفْوَانٌ [a coll. gen. n.] (As, T, S, M, TA) of which the singular or n. un. is صَفْوَانَةٌ (S, M, TA) signify the same as صَفًا, (As, T, M, TA,) or stones, (S,) or soft, smooth stones; (TA;) or
صَفْوَانٌ is used as a plural and as a singular; as a plural meaning smooth stones, one of which is termed صَفْوَانَةٌ; and as a singular, stone, or a stone: (Msb:) the dual of صَفًا is صَفَوَانِ. (ISk, TA.) مَا تَنْدَى صَفَاتُهُ is a prov., (S,) applied to the niggardly, like مَا يَبِضُّ حَجَرُهُ, (S, in article بض,) meaning (assumed tropical:) No good is obtained from him. (TA in that article) And one says also, قَرَعَ صَفَاتَهُ, meaning (assumed tropical:) He im-
pugned his character; blamed, or censured, him; or spoke against him. (Mgh in article غمز.)
2.
3.
[بِنْتُ صَفًا, according to Reiske, as stated by Freytag, signifies The echo.]