طَفَا فَوْقَ المَاءِ

, (S, Mgh, Msb, K,) aorist يَطْفُو, (S, Mgh, Msb,) verbal noun طُفُوٌّ (S, Mgh, Msb, K) and طَفْوٌ, (S, Msb, K,) It (a thing, S, Mgh, Msb) floated upon the water, (S, Mgh, Msb, K,) and did not sink. (S, Msb.)

[Hence,] one says, الظُّعُنُ تَطْفُو وَتَرْسُبُ فِى السَّرَابِ (assumed tropical:) [The women's camel-vehicles appear, as though floating, and disappear, as though sinking, in the mirage]. (TA.)

And طَفَتِ الخُوصَةُ فَوْقَ الشَّجَرِ (tropical:) [The leaf of the date-palm, or of the Theban palm, &c.,] appeared [above the trees]. (K, TA.)

And طَفَا said of a bull, (K,) or of a wild bull, (TA,) (tropical:) He mounted upon the hills (K, TA) and upon the sands. (TA. [In the CK, على الاَكَمِ is erroneously put for عَلَا الأَكَمَ.])

And طَفَوْتُ فَوْقَهُ (assumed tropical:) I leaped upon it. (TA.) The saying

عَبْدٌ إِذَا مَا رَسَبَ القَوْمُ طَفَا

is explained by IAar as meaning [A slave] who, when the people are grave, leaps by reason of his ignorance. (TA.)

And طَفَا المَاءُ [not a mistranscription for طَغَا] (assumed tropical:) The water rose, or became high. (TA voce طُوفَانٌ, q. v.)

And طَفَا said of a gazelle, (assumed tropical:) He ran vehemently. (K.) One says of a gazelle, مَرَّ يَطْفُو, meaning (tropical:) He passed by, or along, or away, going lightly, or briskly, upon the ground, and running vehemently. (S, TA.)

And, said of a man, (K, TA,) by way of comparison [to a floating fish], (TA,) (tropical:) He died. (K, TA.)

And (assumed tropical:) He (i. e. a man) entered into [or upon] an affair: (K, TA:) [or,] according to the “ Nawádir, ” one says, طَفَا فِى الأَرْضِ he entered into the earth, either وَاغِلًا [apparently as meaning penetrating, and becoming concealed], or رَاسِخًا [apparently as meaning becoming firmly fixed therein]. (TA.)

-A2- [طَفَا is made transitive by means of بِ: see an example voce أَرْسَبَ.]