اِسْمٌ
1.
, (S, M, Msb, K,) with the conjunctive ا, [i. e. written اسْمٌ,] but this is made disjunctive by poetic license [as well as when the word commences a sentence], (S,) usually with kesr [when the | is disjunctive], (Lh, M, TA,) and اُسْمٌ, (S, M, K,) of the dialect of Benoo-'Amr-Ibn-Temeem and of Kudá'ah, (M, TA,) mentioned by IAar, (TA,) and
سِمٌ and
سُمٌ (S, M, K) and
سَمٌ, (K,) and
سُمًا (M, K) and
سِمًا and
سَمًا, (K,) [The name of a thing; i. e.] a sign [such as may be uttered or written] conveying knowledge of a thing; synonym عَلَامَةٌ: and a word applied to denote a substance or an accident or attribute, for the purpose of distinction: (M, K:) [or a substantive in the proper sense of this term, i. e. a real substantive; and a substance in a tropical sense of this term, i. e. an ideal substantive:] as explained by El-Munáwee, in the “ Towkeef, ” the اسم is that which denotes a meaning in itself unconnected with any of the three times [past and present and future]: if denoting what subsists by itself, it is termed
اِسْمُ عَيْنٍ; and if denoting what does not subsist by itself, [i. e. an accident or attribute,] whether existent, as
العِلْمُ [i. e. knowledge], or non-existent, as
الجَهْلُ [i. e. ignorance], it is termed
اِسْمُ مَعْنًى: (TA:) the plural is أَسْمَاءٌ [a plural of pauc.] and أَسْمَاوَاتٌ, (S, M, K,) the latter said by Lh to be a plural of اِسْمٌ, but it is rather a plural of أَسْمَاءٌ, for otherwise there is no way of accounting for it, (M,) and أَسَامٍ (S, M, K) and أَسَامِىُّ (M, K) are [likewise] pls. of أَسْمَاءٌ: (K, * TA:) the word اسْمٌ [i. e. اِسْمٌ or اُسْمٌ] is derived from سَمَوْتُ, (S, TA,) or from السُّمُوُّ, (Msb, Er-Rághib, TA,) because the اسم is a means of raising into notice the thing denoted thereby, and making it known: (S, * Er-Rághib, TA:) it is of the measure اِفْعٌ [or اُفْعٌ, according to different dialects], the last radical, و, being wanting in it, (S, Msb, TA,) and the hemzeh [or rather |] being prefixed by way of compensation for it, accord to a general rule; (Msb, TA;) for it is originally سِمْوٌ (S, Msb, Er-Rághib, TA) or سُمْوٌ, (S, Msb, TA,) its plural being أَسْمَاءٌ, and its diminutive being
سُمَىٌّ [originally سَمَيْوٌ]: (S, Msb, Er-Rághib, * TA:) some of the Koofees hold that it is from الوَسْمُ, meaning العَلَامَةُ, the و, which is the primal radical, being rejected, and the hemzeh [or |] being substituted for it, so that its measure is اِعْلٌ [or اُعْلٌ]; but this is a weak opinion, for, were it so, the diminutive would be وَسَيْمٌ and the plural would be أَوْسَامٌ. (Msb, TA.) One says, اِسْمُ هٰذَا كَذَا [The name of this is thus, or such a word]; and if you will you may say, اُسْمُ هٰذا كذا; and in like manner,
سِمُهُ and
سُمُهُ: Lh says that اِسْمُهُ فُلَانٌ [His name is Such a one] is the [common] phrase of the Arabs; and he mentions اُسْمُهُ فُلَانٌ as heard from [the tribe of] Benoo-'Amr-Ibn-Temeem: and Ks cites, as heard from some of [the tribe of] Benoo-Kudá'ah, the saying,
[In the name of Him whose name is in every chapter of the Qur'an], and سِمُهْ as heard from others, not of Kudá'ah. (M.) سِرْ عَلَى اسْمِ اللّٰهِ is an elliptical phrase [for سِرْ مُعْتَمِدًا عَلَى ذِكْرِ اسْمِ اللّٰهِ Journey thou relying upon the mention of the name of God]. (IJ, M in article دل: see دَلِيلٌ.)
2.