Arabic

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Root
ء ب ي (ʔ b y)
4 terms

Etymology

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Supposedly from Proto-Semitic *ʔabay-; according to unifying theory, the meaning of wanting is the original, but came to be always used with negation, such that this is the bulk of attestation of Biblical Hebrew אָבָה (ʔāḇā), and the dialects which standard Arabic has been based on have dropped the negating particle while other dialects continue the older situation. The alternative view assumes mutilated بَغَى (baḡā, to desire), well-known, behind the nonstandard meanings.

Verb

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أَبَى (ʔabā) I (non-past يَأْبَى (yaʔbā), verbal noun إِبَاء (ʔibāʔ) or إِبَاءَة (ʔibāʔa))

  1. to reject, to refuse
  2. to have an aversion for
  3. (nonstandard) to will, to desire
  4. (nonstandard) to demand, to ask for
  5. (nonstandard) to be in lack, to be necessary

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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References

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