مَدِبٌّ

and مَدَبٌّ The track, or course, of a torrent, (S, M, K, *) and of ants: (S, K:) plural مَدَابُّ. (TA.) One says, of a sword, لَهُ أَثْرٌ كَأَنَّهُ مَدَبُّ النَّمْلِ and مَدَابُّ الذَّرِّ [It has diversified wavy marks like the track of ants and the tracks of little ants]. (TA.) The subst. is with kesr; and the verbal noun, with fet-h; according to a rule constantly obtaining, (S, * K, * TA,) except in some anomalous instances, (TA,) when the verb is of the measure فَعَلَ (S, K, TA) or فَعِلَ, (TA,) and its aorist is of the measure يَفْعِلُ. (S, K, TA.) [Here it should be observed that مَجْرًى, given as the explanation of مَدِبٌّ and مَدَبٌّ in the K, is both a verbal noun and a n. of place and of time: but J clearly explains both these words as above; and F seems, in the K, to assign to them both the same signification.]