Word Meaning
पेशतर-अज़-सुब्ह
peshtar-az-subh
hiadverbial phrase
Meaning
Before dawn; prior to the morning.
Detailed Meaning
A Persian temporal compound meaning 'prior to morning' or 'before daybreak'. In this couplet, it marks the chilling of the dying lover's body just before dawn arrives, after enduring night-long torment.
Etymology
Persian 'peshtar' (prior, earlier) + 'az' (from, than) + Arabic 'subh' (morning).
Usage
In classical ghazal poetry, it is frequently used to evoke the tragic end of a suffering lover before the long-awaited morning can arrive.
Examples
extinguished before dawn
cold before the break of day
Synonyms
क़ब्ल-अज़-सुब्हसहर से पेशतरसुबह से पहले
Related Words
सुब्ह-दमसहर-गहशाम