مهلا

Arabic

Etymology

From the root م ه ل (m-h-l). Adverbial accusative of مَهْل (mahl, “slowness, ease”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mah.lan/

Verb

مَهْلًا • (mahlan)

1. (defective, transitive) act slowly, gently, leisurely!
   • 6th century, Imru' al-Qais, أفاطم مهلا:

     أَفَاطِمُ مَهْلًا بَعْضَ هٰذَا ٱلتَّدَلُّلِ
     وَإِنْ كُنْتِ قَدْ أَزْمَعْتِ صَرْمِي فَأَجْمِلِي

     ʔafāṭimu mahlan baʕḍa hāḏā t-tadalluli
     waʔin kunti qad ʔazmaʕti ṣarmī faʔajmilī

     Oh Fatima go easy on the coquetry
     and if you have already decided to leave me, do it gently.

Usage notes

The verb is defective and does not conjugate or receive case endings; it is used the same way with the same final vowels in all contexts.