زَنَى

, aorist يَزْنِى, verbal noun زِنًى [often written زِنًا] and زِنَاءٌ, (S, Mgh, * Msb, K,) the latter a verbal noun of 3 (S, Mgh, Msb, K) also, (S, Mgh, K,) but said by some to be a dialect var. of the former, (Msb,) the former being of the dialect of the people of El-Hijáz, (Lh, S, Msb, TA,) and the latter of the dialect of Benoo-Temeem, (Lh, TA,) or of the people of Nejd, (S, Msb, TA,) He committed fornication or adultery; (El-Munáwee, Er-Rághib, TA;) بِهَا with her: (MA:) but according to El-Munáwee, [it seems to be properly a dialect var. of زَنَأَ as meaning he mounted; for he says that,] in the proper language of the Arabs, الزِّنَا signifies the mounting upon a thing; and in the language of the law it signifies the commission of the act first mentioned above: it is [thus] synonym with فَجَرَ: and in like manner one says of a woman [زَنَتْ]: (TA:) ↓ زنّى, verbal noun تَزْنِيَةٌ, also signifies the same: (TA:) and so does ↓ زانى, verbal noun مُزَانَاةٌ and زِنَاءٌ: (K:) one says of a woman, ↓ تُزَانِى, verbal noun مُزَانَاةٌ and زِنَاءٌ, meaning تُبَاغِى [i. e. She commits fornication or adultery; or prostitutes herself]. (S.) It is said in a prov., لَا حُصْنُهَا حُصْنٌ وَلَا الزِّنَاءُ زِنَاءٌ [Her continence is not continence, nor the fornication, or adultery, that she commits, fornication, or adultery]: applied to him who does not remain in one state, or condition; neither in good nor in evil: (Meyd:) or to him who refrains from doing good and then is excessive [therein], or from evil and then is excessive therein; not continuing to pursue one way. (TA.) [See also زَنْيَةٌ.]