مَكْسِرٌ

A place of breaking, (K, TA,) of anything. (TA.) You say, عُودٌ صُلْبُ المَكْسِرِ [Wood, or a piece of wood, or a branch, or twig, hard in the place of breaking,] when you know its goodness by its breaking: (S, A:) and عُودٌ طَيِّبُ المَكْسِرِ [Wood, &c., good in the place of breaking,] i. e. approved. (K.)

Hence, رَجُلٌ صُلْبُ المَكْسِرِ (A, L) (tropical:) A man who bears up against difficulty, distress, or adversity: because one breaks a piece of wood, to try if it be hard or soft. (TA.) And of a plural number, هُمْ صِلَابُ المَكَاسِرِ. (A.) And فُلَانٌ هَشُّ المَكْسِرِ, (TA,) and المُكَسَّرِ, (TA in article هش, q. v.,) (assumed tropical:) [Such a one is easy, or compliant, when asked], which is an expression of praise when it means [lit.] that he is not one whose wood gives only a sound when one endeavours to produce fire from it; and of dispraise when it means [lit.] that be is one whose wood is weak. (TA.) And فُلَانٌ طَيِّبُ المَكْسِرِ (assumed tropical:) Such a one is praised when tried, proved, or tested: (S, TA:) and رَدِىْءُ المَكْسِرِ [dispraised when tried, &c.]. (TA.) [Wherefore it is said that] مَكْسِرٌ also signifies (assumed tropical:) The internal state; an internal, or intrinsic, quality; the intrinsic, or real, as opposed to the apparent, state, or to the aspect; synonym مَخْبَرٌ. (K.)

Also مَكْسِرٌ The lowest part (أَصْلٌ K, TA) of anything; and especially of a tree, where the branches are broken off. (TA.)

[Hence] it is said to be metonymically used as meaning (tropical:) Old property. (TA voce فَرْعٌ.)