Learn Arabic › B2 › وَنَى
وَنَى
to flag, slacken, tire (in effort or resolve) /waˈnaː/
verbB2#3970 most common
Also: to grow languid or weak, to be remiss, to relent
Example sentences
وَنَى الرَّجُلُ فِي عَمَلِهِ.
The man flagged (grew slack) in his work.
لَا تَنِ فِي طَلَبِ العِلْمِ.
Do not flag in seeking knowledge.
لَمْ يَنِ الطَّالِبُ عَنِ الدِّرَاسَةِ رَغْمَ التَّعَبِ.
The student did not slacken from studying despite the fatigue.
وَنَتِ الْعَامِلَةُ بَعْدَ سَاعَاتٍ طَوِيلَةٍ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ الْمُتَوَاصِلِ.
The worker grew weary after long hours of continuous work.
يَجِبُ أَلَّا نَنِيَ فِي الدِّفَاعِ عَنْ حُقُوقِنَا.
We must not flag in defending our rights.
قَالَ اللَّهُ لِمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ: «وَلَا تَنِيَا فِي ذِكْرِي».
God said to Moses and Aaron: 'And do not flag in remembering Me.'
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | أَنِي | وَنَيْتُ | سَأَنِي |
| 2sg | تَنِي | وَنَيْتَ | سَتَنِي |
| 3sg | يَنِي | وَنَى | سَيَنِي |
| 1pl | نَنِي | وَنَيْنَا | سَنَنِي |
| 2pl | تَنُونَ | وَنَيْتُمْ | سَتَنُونَ |
| 3pl | يَنُونَ | وَنَوْا | سَيَنُونَ |
Word family
تَوَانَىto be negligent, to slacken or hesitate (the common Form VI counterpart, far more frequent in modern usage)
مُتَوانٍnegligent, remiss, slow to act
وَنًىweakness, languor, fatigue
وَانٍlanguid, slack, weary
Etymology
The verb comes from the Semitic root w-n-y, used in Classical Arabic for slackening effort or growing weary. It appears in the Quran (20:42), where Moses and Aaron are told not to flag in remembering God. The bare Form I verb is now mostly literary; its Form VI derivative dominates everyday use.
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