Word Meaning
हैअत
hai'at
Meaning
Form, shape, appearance, state, or condition.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'hai'at' denotes the outward appearance, configuration, or physical state of a person or object. In this couplet, it refers to the transformed and distorted physical condition of the lover's eyes caused by relentless weeping. While the term is also historically used for astronomy, in poetic contexts it predominantly signifies outward form and countenance.
Etymology
Arabic (هَيْئَة), denoting form, shape, outward appearance, or condition.
Usage
Commonly employed in the ghazal to portray the dramatic physical alteration of the lover's countenance or the ruin of the world caused by despair.
Examples
The altered shape of the heart in grief.
A dreadful transformation in the form of the ruins.