مِرْمَاةٌ

An arrow with which one shoots (As, IAar, T) at a butt: (As, T, Mgh:) an arrow with which one learns to shoot; (M, K, TA;) which is the worst kind of arrows: (TA:) or a small, weak arrow: (AHn, M, K:) or an arrow with its [head of] iron: (Th, TA in article حسب:) or, like سِرْوَةٌ, a round arrow-head: (AA, [so in the S, but in the TA it is IAar,] S, TA:) [and apparently a missile of any kind: (see مِرْدًى:)] plural مَرَامٍ. (M.) When they see many مَرَامٍ in the quiver of a man, they say,

وَنَبْلُ العَبْدِ أَكْثَرُهَا المَرَامِى

[And the arrows of the slave, most of them are those that are small and weak]: a prov., said to mean that the free man purchases arrows at a high price, buying the broad and long iron head, because he is a man of war and of the chase; but the slave is only a pastor, and therefore is content with what are termed مَرَامٍ, because they are cheaper if he buy them; and if he ask for them as a gift, no one gives him aught but a مِرْمَاة. (M.) [See also the last sentence of this paragraph.]

It is also used, tropically, as meaning (tropical:) A مَنْجَنِيق [or kind of engine for casting stones at the enemy; apparently such as was called by the Romans “ onager, ” or the like thereof]: because, like the مِرْمَاْة before mentioned, it is an instrument for casting, or shooting. (Mgh.) [See also مِرْمًى.] And [the plural] مَرَامٍ also signifies (assumed tropical:) Thunderbolts; synonym صَوَاعِقُ. (Bd in xviii. 38.)

Also A cloven hoof (S, Mgh, K) of a sheep or goat; because it is of the things that are thrown away: (Mgh:) [or,] according to A 'Obeyd, (T, S,) a thing that is between the two hoofs of a sheep or goat; (T, S, M, K;) as also ↓ مَرْمَاةٌ: (A 'Obeyd, T, M, K:) thus, he says, it is explained; but I know not what is its meaning: (T, S:) its dual occurs in the following tradition: لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ دُعِىَ إِلَى مِرْمَاتَيْنِ لَأَجَابَ وَهُوَ لَا يُجِيبُ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ; (T, S; related also, with some variations, in the M and Mgh;) in which it is said to be the dual of مِرْمَاةٌ in the former of these two senses; [i. e. If any one of you were invited to partake of two hoofs of a sheep or goat, he would obey the invitation, but he will not obey the invitation to prayer;] (S, Mgh;) or, according to A 'Obeyd, it is here the dual of this word in the latter of the same two senses: (T, S:) according to IAar, (T, TA,) or Aboo-Sa'eed, it here means the kind of arrow called مِرْمَاةٌ: (T, Mgh, TA:) but in another, and similar, tradition, مرماتين is followed by أَوْعَرْقٍ [i. e. “ or a bone with some meat remaining upon it ”]. (T, Z, TA.)