Word Meaning
चुराया
churāyā
hiverb
Meaning
Stole, took away covertly, or drained secretly.
Detailed Meaning
Literally means to steal, pilfer, or carry off without consent. In Ghalib's couplet, it functions within the classical idiom of draining or robbing the 'water' (luster, temper, or keen edge) of the sword. The lover's wounds are imagined as greedily absorbing the blade's sharpness, rendering it dull.
Etymology
Derived from Sanskrit 'चोरयति' (corayati - steals) through Prakrit into Hindustani 'चुराना'.
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it is most celebrated in the trope of stealing the heart ('dil churānā') or metaphorically robbing brilliance and temper.
Examples
churāyā thā kisī ne dil hamārā
tegh kā paanī churāyā zakhmon ne
Synonyms
छीनाहरासोखा
Related Words
चुरानाचोरचोरीचुपके