سَبُعٌ
1.
(S, Sgh, Msb, K) and
سَبْعٌ, (Sgh, Msb, K,) a dialect var., (Sgh, Msb,) and the form in common use with the vulgar, (Msb,) adopted also by several readers of the Qur'an, 5:4, (Msb, TA,) and often occurring in the poems of the Arabs, (TA,) and
سَبَعٌ, (Sgh, K,) a form adopted by two readers of the Qur'an in the place above mentioned, and perhaps a dialect var., (Sgh, TA,) The animal of prey; the rapacious animal; (K;) [whether beast or bird; being sometimes applied to the latter, as, for instance, in the K, voce مِخْلَبٌ; but generally to the former:] or whatsoever has a fang, or canine tooth, with which it makes hostile attacks, and seizes its prey; (Msb;) such as the lion, [to which it is particularly applied by most of the Arabs in the present day,] and also (TA) such as the wolf and the lynx and the leopard, (Msb, TA,) and the like of these, that has a fang, and attacks men and beasts and makes them its prey: (TA:) the fox, however, is not thus called, though having a fang, (Msb, TA,) because he does not attack with it nor take prey, (Msb,) or because he does not attack small beasts, nor seize with his fang any animal; (TA;) and in like manner the hyena (Msb, TA) is not reckoned among the hostile animals thus called, wherefore the Sunneh allows that its flesh may be eaten, and requires that a compensation be made for it [by the sacrifice of a ram] if it be smitten [and killed] in the sacred territory or by a person in the state of ihrám: but as to the jackal, it is a noxious
سبع, and its flesh is unlawful, because it is of the same kind as wolves, except that it is smaller in size and weaker in body: thus says Az: but some others say that the سبع is any hostile beast having a
مِخْلَب [or tearing claw]: and it is said in the Mufradát to be thus called because of the perfectness of its strength; for السَّبْعُ [seven] is one of the perfect numbers: (TA:) the plural is سِبَاعٌ, (Sb, S, Msb, K,) i. e., of سَبُعٌ, which has no other plural; (Sb, Msb;) أَسْبُعٌ is also a plural, (Sgh, Msb, K,) but this is plural of pauc. of
سَبْعٌ, (Sgh, Msb,) which, not being a contraction [of سَبُعٌ, but a dialect var. thereof], has also for its pls. [of mult.] سُبُوعٌ and سُبُوعَةٌ, like صُقُورٌ and صُقُورَةٌ, pls. of صَقْرٌ. (TA.) See also سَبْعٌ: [and see سَبُعَةٌ.] You say of him who is very injurious, or mischievous, مَا هُوَ إِلَّا سَبُعٌ مِنَ السِّبَاعِ (tropical:) [He is none other than one of the animals of prey]. (TA.)
2.
السَّبُعُ is also the name of (assumed tropical:) The constellation [Lupus] behind [i. e. on the east of] Centaurus, containing nineteen stars in the figure. (Kzw.)