Learn Arabic › B1 › سَخَّر
سَخَّر
to subjugate; to press (something) into service for a purpose /sɑxˈxɑrɑ/
verbB1#2452 most common
Also: to harness (natural forces) for human use, to devote/dedicate (oneself or a thing) to a cause, to force into unpaid labor
Example sentences
هو سَخَّرَ الحصانَ للعمل.
He harnessed the horse for work.
سَخَّرَتِ الحكومةُ الجيشَ لمساعدةِ المتضررين.
The government mobilized the army to help those affected.
سَخَّرَ اللهُ الرياحَ لتسييرِ السفنِ.
God subjected the winds to drive the ships.
سَخَّرَ العالِمُ حياتَه لخدمةِ العلمِ.
The scientist devoted his life to the service of science.
سَخَّرَ المستعمِرون السكانَ الأصليين للعملِ في المناجمِ بلا أجرٍ.
The colonizers forced the indigenous people to work in the mines without pay.
سَخَّرَ الكاتبُ قلمَه لفضحِ الفسادِ، غيرَ آبهٍ بالمخاطرِ التي قد يتعرضُ لها.
The writer put his pen in the service of exposing corruption, unconcerned with the risks he might face.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | أُسَخِّر | سَخَّرْتُ | سَأُسَخِّر |
| 2sg | تُسَخِّر | سَخَّرْتَ | سَتُسَخِّر |
| 3sg | يُسَخِّر | سَخَّرَ | سَيُسَخِّر |
| 1pl | نُسَخِّر | سَخَّرْنا | سَنُسَخِّر |
| 2pl | تُسَخِّرون | سَخَّرْتُم | سَتُسَخِّرون |
| 3pl | يُسَخِّرون | سَخَّروا | سَيُسَخِّرون |
Word family
تَسْخِيرthe act of harnessing or subjugating
مُسَخَّرharnessed, made subservient
سُخْرةforced labor, corvee
سُخْرِيَّةmockery, sarcasm, irony
ساخِرsarcastic, mocking
Etymology
The verb comes from the Semitic triliteral root س-خ-ر (s-kh-r). In its base Form I, سَخِرَ means to mock or ridicule. Form II, سَخَّر, doubles the middle radical to give the verb a causative and intensive sense: to make something bend to a purpose, to subjugate or press into service. Arabic is a Semitic language, not Indo-European, so it has no Proto-Indo-European root or Indo-European cognates.
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