رِفْدٌ

A gift; (S, A, Msb, * K;) [and so, apparently, ↓ مِرْفَدٌ or ↓ مَرْفَدٌ;] a gratuity: (T, S, A, K:) plural أَرْفَادٌ (Ham p. 128) [and مَرَافِدُ is plural of مِرْفَدٌ or مَرْفَدٌ]. You say, هُوَ كَثِيرُ الأَرْفَادِ and ↓ المَرَافِدِ [He is a person of many gifts]. (A.) It is said in a tradition, مِنِ اقْتِرَابَ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ الفَىْءُ رِفْدًا [One of the signs] of the approach of the hour of resurrection shall be, that the tribute shall be a gratuity bestowed according to men's natural desires, and not according to right, or desert. (T, L.)

Aid, help, or assistance; (T, M, L, Msb;) as also مِرْفدٌ and مَرْفدٌ [apparently ↓ مِرْفَدٌ and ↓ مَرْفَدٌ]; (M;) by a gift, and by giving milk to drink, and by a saying, and by anything. (T.)

A lot, share, or portion. (M, L.)

Also, (IAar, Ibn-El-Mubárak, T, S, M, A, L, K,) and ↓ رَفْدٌ, (El-Muärrij, T, S, M, L, K,) and ↓ مِرْفَدٌ, (S, M, L, K,) and ↓ مَرْفَدٌ, (M, L,) A large [drinking-cup, or bowl, of the kind called] قَدَح, (T, S, A, L, K,) in which a guest is given to drink: (S, L:) this is the meaning most known; and this meaning is assigned by Zj to the third of the words above, i. e. مِرْفَدٌ: (T:) or a large عُسّ, (M, L,) larger than the common عُسّ, which latter is a large قَدَح that holds enough to satisfy the thirst of three men, or four, or more; larger than the غَمَر: (L:) or a قَدَح, (Ibn-El-Mubárak, T, M, L,) of whatever size it be; according to some: (M, L:) in a قَدَح a she-camel is milked: (T:) or a vessel in which one milks. (El-Muärrij, T.) One says, هُرِيقَ رِفْدُهُ [His drinking-cup, or bowl, was emptied], meaning (tropical:) he was slain; a phrase similar to صَفِرَتْ وِطَابُهُ, and كُفِيءَتْ جَفْنَتُهُ: (A:) or he died. (K.) And مَدَّ فُلَانٌ بِأَرْفَادِى [apparently Such a one drew water with my bowls], meaning (tropical:) such a one aided me, or assisted me. (A, TA. [In my copy of the former, بِاءِرْفَادِى; which I think a mistranscription: in the latter, بِارْفَادِى])