خُصْمٌ
1.
The side (S, K) of anything; (S, TA;) as, for instance, of a load such as is called عِدْل; (S;) and of a bed; and the edge thereof: (TA:) written by Aboo-Moosà with ض; but IAth says that it is correctly with ص: (TA in article خضم:) a lateral part or portion (S, K) of anything: (S:) a corner, (S, K,) as well as a side, (S,) of an عِدْل, and of a receptacle, such as a خُرْج or a جُوَالِق or an عَيْبَة: (S:) and the [anterior lower] extremity of a [water-bag of the kind termed] رَاوِيَة, that is opposite to the
عَزْلَاء; (JK, K, TA; [in the CK, الزّاوِيَةِ and الغَزْلاءِ are erroneously put for الرَّاوِيَةِ and العَزْلَاءِ;]) the upper extremity [correctly extremities, at which are the loops whereby it is suspended upon the side of the camel,] being called the عصم [i. e. عُصْم, plural of عِصَامٌ]: (TA:) plural [of pauc.] أَخْصَامٌ and [of mult.] خُصُومٌ: (K:) but some say that the أَخْصَام of the [water-bag termed] مَزَادَة, and its خُصُوم, are its corners: the خُصُوم of a cloud are its sides: (TA:) and أَخْصَامُ العَيْنِ signifies the part, or parts, of the eye upon which the edges of the lids close together. (S, K.)
2.
[Also A gap, or an intervening space: it is said in the TA that] الأَخْصَامُ [plural of الخُصْمُ] signifies الفرج [i. e. الفُرَجُ, plural of الفُرْجَةُ: and it is added,] one says, of an unsound, a corrupt, or a disordered, affair, لَا يُسَّدُ مِنْهُ خُصْمٌ إِلَّا انْفَتَحَ خُصْمٌ اخَرُ (tropical:) [A gap of it will not be stopped up but another gap will open]; occurring in a tradition, meaning, the state of affairs is disordered and distressing, and not to be rectified and repaired. (TA.)