Word Meaning
बे-दम
be-dam
hiadjective
Meaning
Breathless, lifeless, exhausted, or faint.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning without breath, 'be-dam' denotes a condition of extreme physical exhaustion, faintness, or near-lifelessness. In classical poetry, it characterizes the lover worn down to a corpse-like state by grief and yearning. In this couplet, it describes the narrator who appears dead and helpless, yet still proves troublesome or formidable.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'be' (without) and 'dam' (breath, life, moment).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, it frequently emphasizes the lover's ultimate state of vulnerability and physical ruin before the beloved.
Examples
lying breathless in the lane of the beloved
exhausted and faint from the agony of separation
Synonyms
बेजाननिढालमुर्दाकमज़ोर
Related Words
दमनीम-जाँना-तवाँदम-ब-ख़ुद