رُفْقَةٌ

, (JK, S, O, Mgh, Msb, K,) in the dialect of Temeem, (Msb,) and ↓ رِفْقَةٌ, (S, O, Msb, K,) in the dialect of Keys, (Msb,) and ↓ رَفْقَةٌ, and on the authority of Ibn-Tal-hah ↓ رُفَاقَةٌ, (K, [in which this last is said to be like ثُمَامَةُ, to indicate that it is with damm to the ر, but not (as will be shown below, voce رَفِيقٌ,) that it is without tenween, imperfectly decl., and determinate like الرُّفْقَةُ,]) Persons travelling, or journeying, together; (Mgh;) a company of persons [travelling, or journeying, or] with whom one is travelling, or journeying; but not when they have separated: (S, O, Msb, K:) or persons with whom one travels, or journeys, as long as they are congregated in one place of assembly, and in one journey; but not when they have separated: (JK:) plural [of mult.] رِفَاقٌ, (S, O, Mgh, Msb, K,) which is plural of رُفْقَةٌ, (Mgh, Msb,) and رُفَقٌ, [which is also plural of رُفْقَةٌ,] and [of pauc.] أَرْفَاقٌ; (O, K;) and the plural of رِفْقَةٌ is رِفَقٌ: (Msb:) or رُفْقَةٌ is a quasi-plural n. of ↓ رَفِيقٌ, or synonym with this last used in a plural sense; and its plural is رِفَقٌ and رُفَقٌ and [quasi-plural n.] ↓ رَفَقٌ. (K.) [Golius explains the first and second and third, as on the authority of the KL, by the words “ consortium, societas: ” but in my copy of the KL, I find only the first and second; and these are explained only by the words Gروه همراهان, agreeably with the renderings which I have given above.]

The plural رِفَاقٌ also signifies Camels upon which people have gone forth to purvey for themselves wheat, or corn, or other provisions from the towns or villages; each, or every, company being termed a رُفْقَة. (TA voce رَطَانَةٌ.)