मसरफ़

Meaning

Expense, outlay, use, application, or an undertaking.

Detailed Meaning

In classical Urdu, 'masraf' denotes expenditure, outlay, or the application of effort and resources. In this couplet, it refers to an enterprise, engagement, or reckoning that can be measured or concluded within a finite timeframe ('taa-ba-kay' / till when). The poet asserts that counting sorrows is an endless trial, not an account that will ever reach a settlement.

Etymology

Arabic, derived from the triliteral root ṣ-r-f (ص-ر-ف), meaning to disburse, turn away, or expend.

Usage

In classical poetry, it often appears in metaphors concerning the consumption of tears, breath, or the emotional toll of love.

Examples

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Related Words