اخثرهُ

; (Msb, K;) and ↓ خثّرهُ, (A, Msb, K,) verbal noun تَخْثِيرٌ; (TA;) He thickened it; made it thick, (Msb, A, K,) and strong; (Msb;) namely, milk, (A, Msb, K,) and honey, and the like, (TA,) and a liniment or the like, (A,) or some other thing. (Msb.)

And the former signifies also He left it in a thick state; namely, fresh butter; (As, S, K;) not melting it. (As, S.) It is said in a prov., مَا يَدْرِى أَيُخْثِرُ أَمْ يُذِيبُ [He knows not whether to leave in a thick state or to melt]: (S K; in one copy of the former of which, the feminine forms of the verbs are used:) applied to him who is confounded, or perplexed, and unable to see his right course, and who wavers, or vacillates: its origin being this: a woman melts fresh butter, and what is thick thereof becomes mixed with what is thin, and she is vexed and wearied by her case, and knows not whether to raise the fire with fuel, in order that it may become clear; fearing that, if she do so, it will burn: thus she is perplexed. (K.)