Word Meaning
इंतिख़ाब
intikhaab
Meaning
Selection, choice, or picking out; an anthology or preference.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'intikhab' signifies the act of choosing, selecting, or discerning the finest option. In this couplet, it denotes the delicate endeavor of making a choice within the fleeting span of a single glance ('yak-nigah'). Ghalib suggests that this deliberate seeking and selection brings embarrassment, as the restless, betraying eye cannot conceal its secret longing.
Etymology
Arabic (إِنْتِخَاب, intikhāb), form VIII verbal noun from the triconsonantal root n-kh-b (ن-خ-ب), meaning to select or pick out the best.
Usage
In poetic parlance, it denotes either an aesthetic choice of the beloved or the compilation of an anthology of superior verses.
Examples
Intikhab-e-chaman (the choice blossoms of the garden)
Intikhab-e-kalaam (selection of poetry)