خَلِيلٌ
2.
See also خَلٌّ, in the latter half of the paragraph.
3.
4.
A friend; or a true, or sincere, friend; (S, Mgh, Msb;) as also
خِلٌّ, and
خُلَّةٌ, which is used alike as masculine and feminine, because originally a verbal noun, [or a quasi-verbal noun, i. e. of 3, q. v.,] (S,) or
خِلَّةٌ, [thus in the copies of the K, but what precedes it, though not immediately, seems to show that the author perhaps meant خُلَّةٌ,] used alike as masculine and feminine and singular and plural: (K:) or a special, or particular, friend or true or sincere friend; as also
خِلٌّ and
خُلٌّ; or this latter is only used in conjunction with وُدٌّ, as when you say, كَانَ لِى وُدًّا
وَخُلًّا [He was to me an an object of love and a friend &c.]; (K;) or, as ISd says,
خِلٌّ is the more common, and is applied also to a female; (TA;) as is also
خُلَّةٌ, (K,) and
خِلَّةٌ: (TA:) خَلِيلٌ also signifies veracious; (K;) thus according to IAar: (TA:) or a friend in whose friendship is no
خَلَل [i. e. unsoundness, or defect, or imperfection]: (Zj, TA:) or one who is pure and sound in friendship, or love: (IDrd, K:) the plural is أَخِلَّاءُ (Msb, K) and خُلَّانٌ (JK, K) and أَخِلَّةٌ: (Ham p. 662, and MA:) the feminine is خَلِيلَةٌ; (S, M, K;) of which the plural is خَلِيلَاتٌ and خَلَايءِلُ: (M, K:) the plural of
خِلٌّ or
خُلٌّ is أَخْلَالٌ: (K:) and the plural of
خُلَّةٌ is خِلَالٌ, (S,) mentioned before, see 3, second sentence. It is applied in the Qur'an, 4:124 to Abraham; who is called خَلِيلُ اللّٰه, (TA,) and الخَلِيلُ. (K.) And it is said that the plural أَخِلَّةٌ means also Pastors; because they act to their beasts like أَخِلَّاء [or friends, &c.], in labouring to do good to them. (Ham p. 662.)