سَبَبٌ
1.
A rope, or cord; (S, M, A, Msb, K;) as also
سِبٌّ; (S, M, K;) the latter of the dialect of Hudheyl, (S,) and occurring in this sense in a verse of Aboo-Dhu-eyb cited voce خَيْطَةٌ; (S, M;) according to some, as there meaning a wooden peg, [a meaning assigned to it in the K,] but the former is the correct meaning: (M:) the plural of both words is أَسْبَابٌ, (M, TA, *) [and] the plural of the latter word is سُبُوبٌ (S, TA) also: (TA:) or سَبَبٌ signifies any rope let down, or made to descend, from above: (AO, TA:) or a strong and long rope, but no rope is so called except one by means of which one ascends and descends: (Khálid Ibn-Jembeh, TA:) or this appellation is only given to a rope of which one end is attached to a roof or ceiling or the like: (TA:) or one by means of which one ascends palm-trees: (Er-Rághib, TA:) [and] a rope by means of which one reaches, or gains access to, water. (TA.) فَلْيَمْدُدْ
بِسَبَبٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ لِيَقْطَعْ, in the Qur'an, 22:15, means Let him stretch a rope to the roof, or ceiling, of his dwelling; then let him die strangled: i. e. let him die of rage: (M, TA:) or, as some say, let him stretch a rope to the lowest heaven; then let him traverse the intervening space until he reach the highest part thereof. (Bd.) The saying
has been explained in article جب: in this instance, a rope or cord, may be meant; or a string, or thread. (M, TA.)جَبَّتْ نِسَاءَ العَالَمِينَ بِالسَّبَبْ
2.
Hence, (Msb,) (tropical:) A thing (S, M, Msb, K) of any kind (S, Msb, K) by means of which one attains, reaches, or gains access to another thing: (S, M, Msb, K:) plural as above. (M.) One says, جَعَلْتُ فُلَانًا لِى سَبَبًا إِلَى
فُلَانٌ فِى حَاجَتِى, i. e. (assumed tropical:) [I made such a one] a means of access [to such a one in the case of my want]. (TA.) Hence, (M,) أَسْبَابُ السَّمَاءِ (assumed tropical:) The places of ascent of the heaven, or sky: (M, K:) or the tracts, or regions, thereof: (S, K:) or the gates thereof. (Ibn-Es-Seed, K. [See an example in a verse cited voce ثَمَانُونَ.]) And the saying, اِرْتَقَى فِى الأَسْبَابِ, meaning (assumed tropical:) He excelled [or attained to excellence] in religion. (M.)
3.
(assumed tropical:) A road, or way. (A. [There mentioned among proper, not tropical, significations.]) So in the saying, in the Qur'an, 18:88 and 91, ثُمَّ اتَّبَعَ سَبَبًا (assumed tropical:) [Then he followed a road, or way]. (Bd.) [And] so in the saying, مَا لِى إِلَيْهِ سَبَبٌ (assumed tropical:) [There is not for me any road, or way, to him, or it]. (A.) So too
سَبِيبَةٌ: plural سَبَايءِبُ. (Ham p. 347.)
4.
[(assumed tropical:) A mean, or means, used in order to any end: a means by which a thing is brought about: a cause; but more properly only a second cause: an occasion, or accidental cause: and a reason, or motive.] One says, هٰذَا سَبَبُ هٰذَا (assumed tropical:) [This is the cause, or occasion, of this]. (Msb.) And بِسَبَبِهِ كَانَ كَذَا (assumed tropical:) [Because of him, or it, it was thus, or such a thing was]. (Msb in art اجل.) And سَبَّبَ اللّٰهُ لَكَ سَبَبَ خَيْرٍ (tropical:) [May God appoint, or prepare, for thee a means, or cause, of good, or prosperity]. (A.)
5.
(tropical:) A connexion, or tie, (S, A, K, TA,) of relationship (S, K, TA) by marriage; distinguished from نَسَبٌ, which is by birth: from the same word as signifying “ a rope by means of which one reaches, or gains access to, water. ” (TA.) One says, اِنْقَطَعَ بَيْنَهُمُ السَّبَبُ i. e. (tropical:) The connexion, or tie, [of affinity between them was severed,] and الأَسْبَابُ
the connexions, or ties. (A) وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الأَسْبَابُ [in the Qur'an, 2:161 means, according to I'Ab, (assumed tropical:) And their ties and affections [shall be dissundered]: or, according to AZ, (assumed tropical:) and their places of abode [shall be divided asunder]. (TA.) [But] قَطَعَ اللّٰهُ بِهِ السَّبَبَ means (assumed tropical:) [God cut short, or may God cut short,] his life. (M, K.)
6.
Also, [from the same word as signifying the “ cord, or rope, of a بَيْت, ” properly meaning “ tent, ” and tropically “ verse, ”] (assumed tropical:) A portion, or division, of a foot of a verse, consisting of a movent letter and a quiescent letter; and also one consisting of two movent letters: plural أَسْبَابٌ. (M, K. [In some of the copies of the K, the latter kind is not mentioned.]) سَبَبٌ خَفِيفٌ (assumed tropical:) [A light cord] means a movent letter followed by a quiescent letter; as قُمْ and مِنْ: and سَبَبٌ
ثَقِيلٌ (assumed tropical:) [A heavy cord], two movent letters; as لَكَ and لِمَ. (KT.) سَبَبَانِ مَقْرُونَانِ (assumed tropical:) [Two conjoined cords] means two portions in which are three successive short vowels followed by a quiescent letter; as مُتَفَا in مُتَفَاعِلُنْ, and عَلَتُنْ in مُفَاعَلَتُنْ: and سَبَبَانِ مَفْرُوقَانِ (assumed tropical:) [Two disjoined cords], two portions of which each consists of a movent letter and a quiescent letter, and which is followed by a movent letter; as مُسْتَفْ in مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ, and عِيلُنْ in مَفَاعِيلُنْ. (M, TA.)