بَكْرَةٌ
1.
(S, Msb, K) and ↓بَكَرَةٌ (Msb, K) The thing upon which [passes the rope wherewith] one draws water (S, Msb, K) from a well [or the like]; (S;) [ i. e. the sheave of a pulley;] a round piece of wood, in the middle [of the circumference] whereof is a groove (K, TA) for the rope, and in the interior [or centre] whereof is an axis upon which it turns: (TA:) or a quick
مَحَالَة [or large sheave of a pulley]: (M, K:) [but MF disapproves of this last explanation: sometimes, by a synecdoche, it is used to signify a pulley complete:] the plural is
بَكَرٌ, (S, Msb, K,) a plural of the former, anomalous, like حَلَقٌ plural of حَلْقَةٌ, and حَمَأٌ plural of حَمْأَةٌ, (S,) or of the latter; (Msb;) or a coll. gen. n., of which بَكَرَةٌ is the n. un.; (MF;) and بَكَرَات, (S, Msb, K,) a plural of the former [as well as of the latter]. (S, Msb.)
2.
Hence, apparently, the former signifies also (assumed tropical:) A small ring, like a bead, in the ornamental part of a sword: (Mgh:) [and the plural] بَكَرَاتٌ signifies (assumed tropical:) the rings that are attached to the ornamental part [of the scabbard] of a sword, (K,) resembling the [rings called] قَتَخ [which are worn upon the fingers or toes] of women. (TA.)
3.
4.
جَاوءُوا عَلَى بَكْرَةِ أَبِيهِمْ is a prov., (TA,) meaning (tropical:) They came together, not one remaining behind, (S, TA;) they came all of them, (AA, IJ, A, TA,) without exception: (TA:) or they came in a multitude, and all together, none remaining behind: (TA:) or they came in succession, one after, or at the heels of, another: (AO:) or they came in one way, or manner: (As:) [according to some, from بكرة as explained in the next preceding sentence; and, if so, على is used in the sense of مَعَ, or مُشْتَمِلِينَ is understood before it: or it is from بكرة signifying “ a youthful she-camel; ” and thus implies that they were few: (see Freytag's Arab. Prov. i. 312:) or] from بَكَّرْتُ فِى كَذَا meaning “ I was, ” or “ became, ” or “ went, ” “ before in such a thing; ” so that it signifies that they came from first to last: (IJ:) or from بكرة in the first of the senses explained in this paragraph; though in this case there is no بكرة in reality. (AO, S. *)