Word Meaning
ज़'ईफ़
za'īf
hiadjective
Meaning
Weak, feeble, frail, or infirm due to illness, exhaustion, or old age.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu verse, 'za'eef' denotes physical frailty, helplessness, or profound humility before the beloved or divine. In this couplet, it underscores the speaker's extreme weakness, highlighting that despite utter exhaustion and infirmity, devotion compels endless prostrations at every step.
Etymology
Arabic, from the triconsonantal root ḍ-ʻ-f (ض ع ف), meaning to be weak, doubled, or deficient.
Usage
Commonly used in ghazals to depict the lover's withered state caused by the torment of separation or extreme ascetic devotion.
Examples
How much breath is left now in this frail body, cupbearer?
Inflict no more cruelty upon this feeble heart.
Synonyms
कमज़ोरनातवाँलाग़रनहीफ़
Related Words
ज़ु'फ़तज़'ईफ़मुस्तज़'अफ़