Learn Arabic › B1 › لَوَى
لَوَى
to twist /laˈwaː/
verbB1#1934 most common
Also: to bend, to wind or coil, to twist someone's arm
Example sentences
لَوَى الوَلَدُ السِّلْكَ.
The boy twisted the wire.
لَوَى عُنُقَهُ لِيَرَى الطَّرِيقَ.
He turned his neck to see the road.
لَوَى الرَّجُلُ ذِرَاعَ اللِّصِّ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ.
The man twisted the thief's arm behind his back.
لَوَيْتُ الحَبْلَ حَوْلَ الغُصْنِ حَتَّى ثَبَتَ.
I wound the rope around the branch until it held.
لَوَى خَصْمُهُ الحَقَائِقَ لِيُبَرِّئَ نَفْسَهُ.
His opponent twisted the facts to clear himself.
لَوَى عُنُقَ النَّصِّ حَتَّى يُوَافِقَ هَوَاهُ.
He twisted the meaning of the text until it suited his whim.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | أَلْوِي | لَوَيْتُ | سَأَلْوِي |
| 2sg | تَلْوِي | لَوَيْتَ | سَتَلْوِي |
| 3sg | يَلْوِي | لَوَى | سَيَلْوِي |
| 1pl | نَلْوِي | لَوَيْنَا | سَنَلْوِي |
| 2pl | تَلْوُونَ | لَوَيْتُمْ | سَتَلْوُونَ |
| 3pl | يَلْوُونَ | لَوَوْا | سَيَلْوُونَ |
Word family
لِوَاءbanner, flag; brigade
الْتِوَاءtwist, bend, sprain
لَيّtwisting, bendingتَلَوَّىto writhe, to coil
مَلْوِيّtwisted, coiled
Etymology
The verb comes from the Semitic root l-w-y, carrying the sense of twisting, turning, and coiling. The same root feeds the noun لِوَاء, a furled banner, and by extension a military brigade. Related Hebrew words show the twin ideas of coiling and joining.
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