غَايَةٌ
1.
, originally غيية [i. e. غَيَيَةٌ], (TA,) The utmost, or extreme, extent, term, limit, point, or reach; or the extremity; of a thing; (MA, KL, PS;) in respect of time and of place; (MA, PS;) synonym مَدًى, (S, Msb, K, TA,) and مُنْتَهًى: (M, TA:) plural
غَاىٌ, (S, Msb, K, *) [or rather this is a coll. gen. n.,] and [the plural properly so termed is] غَايَاتٌ. (Msb.) [Hence, A goal to which racers run; as is indicated in the TA. And A scope; an object to be reached or accomplished, or that one has in view. And The ultimate object or intent of an action or a saying. And The ultimate import of a word: thus in the phrase, يُطْلَقُ
بِاعْتِبَارِ غَايَتِهِ
It is used with regard, or respect, to its ultimate import: opposed in this sense to مَبْدَأٌ. And The utmost degree, maximum, climax, or acme, that is, or may be, attained.] And The utmost of one's power or ability, i. e., of one's deed: thus in the saying, غَايَتُكَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ كَذَا [The utmost of thy power or ability, or of thy deed, is, or will be, thy doing such a thing]. (Msb.) [And A person or thing, and persons or things, superlative, or consummate, in eminence or baseness, in goodness or evilness; that has, or have, attained the utmost degree therein. And, applied to a medicine, &c., Possessing the utmost efficacy, or efficiency,
لِكَذَا
for such a thing.]
2.
[Also, like مَدًى, A space that is, or that is to be, traversed; or an extent, or the space between two points or limits: whence اِبْتِدَاءُ غَايَةٍ, and اِنْتِهَاءُ غَايَةٍ, The beginning, and the end, of a space between two points or limits.]
3.
And i. q.
غَلْوَةٌ, meaning [A bow-shot; or] a shot of an arrow to the utmost possible distance. (Msb in article غلو.)
4.
5.
And A banner (رَايَة) which the vintner used to raise [or set up] in order that he might be known to be a seller of wine. (TA.) [See an example voce عُقَابٌ.]
6.
And A cloud that is alone; apart from others: or that is falling, or alighting. (TA.)
7.
And Birds flapping their wings, or fluttering, in the air, without moving from their place; or doing thus around a thing, desiring to alight upon it. (TA. [See 2.])
8.
And The قصبة [apparently قَصَبَة, generally meaning reed, or cane, but what is meant by it here I know not,] with which small birds (عَصَافِيز) are taken, or caught, or sought to be taken or caught. (TA.)