Word Meaning
खूँ-ख़्वार
khoon-khwaar
Meaning
Bloodthirsty, ferocious, or cruel; typically describing a devastatingly ruthless beloved.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning a blood-drinker or bloodthirsty creature, 'khoon-khwaar' is applied in ghazals to an exceedingly callous, lethal beloved whose captivating charms doom lovers. In this couplet, the speaker remarks that the true vibrant intensity of love was revealed only upon keeping company with such a fiercely heartless beauty.
Etymology
Persian compound of 'khoon' (blood) and 'khwaar' (consuming/drinking, from 'khwardan').
Usage
In classical ghazal tradition, it serves as a dramatic epithet for the beloved whose indifferent glances metaphorically spill the lover's blood.
Examples
The swift glance of that bloodthirsty beloved took my life.
None escape unharmed from the alley of that ferocious beauty.