Word Meaning
लक़
laq
hiadjective
Meaning
Desolate, barren, or bleak (usually occurring in the compound laq-o-daq).
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu verse, 'laq' is almost exclusively used in the alliterative compound 'laq-o-daq', signifying an endless, barren, and desolate wilderness. In this couplet, looking inward into one's collar reveals the heart to be as unpeopled, vast, and terrifyingly bleak as an untamed wasteland. It powerfully contrasts outward composure with profound inner solitude.
Etymology
Arabic (laqq, meaning a level waste or bare tract of ground)
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, it almost always pairs with 'daq' to evoke an infinite, arid wasteland mirroring existential or emotional isolation.
Examples
A vast and desolate plain (laq-o-daq sahra)
Wandering through the trackless wilderness
Synonyms
वीरानाउजाड़बंजरसुनसान
Related Words
लक़-ओ-दक़दक़जंगलसहरा