رِبعَةٌ

The beasts' collecting of themselves together in the [season called] رَبِيع: [whence] a a country, or region, is said to be طَيِّبُ الرِّبْعَةِ [good for the beasts' collecting of themselves together &c.]. (TA.)

[Hence, apparently,] تَرَكْنَاهُمْ عَلَى رِبْعَتِهِمْ We left them in their former, or first, or original, and right, or good, state, or condition. (TA.) ↓ رَبَاعَةٌ, also, and ↓ رِبَاعَةٌ, signify An affair, a business, or a concern, in which one continues occupied; or a case, a state, or a condition, in which one abides, or continues; (K, TA;) meaning a former, or first, affair, &c.; (TA;) and only relating to a good state or condition: (Yaakoob, K:) or one's way, course, mode, or manner, of acting, or conduct, or the like: (K:) or one's right, or good, state, or condition, (K, TA,) in which he has been before: (TA:) or his [tribe such as is termed] قَبِيلَة: or [the portion thereof which is termed] his فَخِذَ: (K:) or ↓ هُمْ عَلَى رِبَاعَتِهِمْ, (S, K,) and ↓ رَبَاعَتِهِمْ, and ↓ رَبَاعِهِمْ, and ↓ رَبَعَاتِهِمْ, and ↓ رَبِعَاتِهِمْ, and ↓ رِبَعَتِهِمْ, (K,) means They are in their right, or good, state, or condition: (K, TA:) or they are occupied in their affair, or business, or concern, in which they were occupied before; or they are in their case, or state, or condition, in which they were before: (S, K:) or ↓ على رَبَعَاتِهِمْ, (S, K,) and ↓ رَبِعَاتِهِمْ, (Fr, S, K,) signifies in their right, or good, state, or condition, and in their former, or first, case; or in their right, or good, state, or condition, and occupied in their former, or first, affair, or business, or concern: (S:) or it means in their places of abode. (Th, K.) You say also, غَيْرُ ↓ مَافِى بَنِى فُلَانٍ مَنْ يَضْبِطُ رِبَاعَتَهُ فُلَانٍ i. e. [There is not among the sons of such a one he who manages thoroughly, or soundly,] his case, or affair, or business, or concern, in which he is occupied [except such a one]. (S.) And [hence,] قَوْمِهِ ↓ هُوَ عَلَى رِبَاعَةِ and هُوَ ذُو رِبَاعَةِ قَوْمِهِ He is the chief of his people. (Ham p. 313. [See also رِبَاعَةٌ below.])