طِحَالٌ

[The spleen;] one of the intestines, (Msb,) or a piece of flesh, (K, TA,) well known, (S, O, Msb, K,) black, (or rather blackish,] and broad, in the belly of man and of others, on the left, cleaving to the side, (TA,) or cleaving to the ribs on the left side, (Zj in his “ Khalk el-Insán, ”) and said to pertain to every ruminant except the horse, which has none: (Msb: [a strange assertion, involving a double mistake; partly originating from a saying which will be mentioned in what follows:]) it is of the masculine gender: (Lh, TA:) the plural is طُحُلٌ (Msb, K, TA) and أَطْحِلَةٌ and طِحَالَاتٌ. (Msb. [The second and third of these pls. appear to be rare; for it is said in the TA that the first is the only plural form: and the last is anomalous.]) One says of the horse, لَا طِحَالَ لَهُ [lit. He has no spleen]; which is a metaphor, meaning (tropical:) he is quick, or swift, in his running; like as one says of the camel, لَا مَرَارَةَ لَهُ [lit. “ he has no gall-bladder ”]; meaning “ he has no daring. ” (S, O.)