سَوْءَةٌ
1.
The عَوْرَة [or pudendum], (S, Mgh, Msb,) i. e. (Msb) the فَرْج [which means the same, or the external portion of the organs of generation], (Lth, M, IAth, Msb, K,) of a man, and of a woman: (Lth, Msb, TA:) and the anus: (Az and TA in article سوى:) dual سَوْءَتَانِ: and plural سَوْاتٌ: so called because its becoming exposed to men displease [or shames] the owner thereof; (Msb;) or because of its unseemliness. (Ham p. 510.) In the Qur'an, 7:19, for سَوْاتِهِمَا, some read سَوَاتِهِمَا; and some, سَوَّاتِهِمَا. (Bd.)
2.
In the Qur'an, 5:34, it means The dead body, or corpse; (Bd, Jel;) because it is deemed unseemly to be seen. (Bd.)
3.
Accord. to IAth, the former is the primary signification: and hence it is transferred to denote Any saying, or action, of which one is ashamed when it appears: (TA:) any evil, bad, abominable, foul, or unseemly, saying or action; (S, K, TA;) as also
سَوْاءُ: (M:) any disgracing action or thing: (Lth, TA:) an evil, abominable, or unseemly, property, quality, custom, or practics; (K, TA;) as also
سَوْاءُ, or
سَوْءَى; (according to different copies of the K; [the latter perhaps feminine of
أَسْوَأُ like the former, of the same class as دَفْأَى and دَنْأَى, or feminine of
سَوْانُ, like عَطْشَى feminine of عَطْشَانُ;]) or so both of these; (TA;) or so
سَوْءَةٌ سَوْاءُ: (S:) [or this last means a property, &c., that is very evil &c.] One says, سَوْءَةً لِفُلَانٍ
May a disgracing action or thing befall such a one; [or disgrace, or shame, to such a one;] using the accusative case because it is an expression of reviling and imprecation. (Lth, TA.) [See also سَيِّيءَةٌ and سُوْءَى.]
4.