Learn ArabicB1 › زَوَى

زَوَى

to fold up, gather together /zaˈwaː/

verbB1#2209 most common

Also: to draw together, contract, to withdraw, set aside, to frown (of the face)

Example sentences

زَوَى الوَلَدُ الوَرَقَةَ.
The boy folded the paper.
زَوَتِ الأُمُّ المَلابِسَ ووَضَعَتْها في الخِزانَة.
The mother folded the clothes and put them in the closet.
زَوَى وَجْهَهُ غَضَباً عِنْدَما سَمِعَ الخَبَرَ.
He drew his face into a frown in anger when he heard the news.
زَوَيْتُ نَفْسي في رُكْنٍ بَعيدٍ لِأَقْرَأَ في هُدوءٍ.
I withdrew into a far corner to read in quiet.
زَوَى الشَّيْخُ السَّجّادَةَ بَعْدَ الصَّلاةِ ووَضَعَها جانِباً.
The sheikh folded the prayer rug after prayer and set it aside.
في الحَديثِ: زُوِيَتْ لِيَ الأَرْضُ فَرَأَيْتُ مَشارِقَها ومَغارِبَها.
In the hadith: the earth was folded together for me, so I saw its easts and its wests.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgأَزْوِيزَوَيْتُسَأَزْوِي
2sgتَزْوِيزَوَيْتَسَتَزْوِي
3sgيَزْوِيزَوَىسَيَزْوِي
1plنَزْوِيزَوَيْنَاسَنَزْوِي
2plتَزْوُونَزَوَيْتُمْسَتَزْوُونَ
3plيَزْوُونَزَوَوْاسَيَزْوُونَ

Word family

زَاوِيَةcorner, angle
انْزَوَىto withdraw, seclude oneself
مُنْزَوٍsecluded, isolated
زَيّa fold or wrap of cloth, dress

Etymology

The verb comes from the Semitic triliteral root z-w-y, tied to the idea of folding, bending, and forming an angle. The same root gives the common noun زاوية, a corner or angle, the point where two sides fold to meet. In Classical usage the verb keeps the physical sense of drawing something together into a smaller space.

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