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عُثٌّ ذ i. q. سُوسٌ [i. e. The moth-worm that eats, or frets, wool, or woollen cloths]: (Msb:) [and the book-worm, or species of moth-worm that eats books: applied to both of these in the present day: and,] accord. to IAar, an insect [of the same kind] that clings to skin, or leather, and eats it: (TA:) [and the weevil; i. e.] the kind of worm, or grub, that eats corn; also called سُوسٌ: (M in art. سوس:) one thereof is termed ↓ عُثَّةٌ : (Msb:) [i. e.] عُثَّةٌ signifies a سُوسَة [or mothworm] that eats, or frets, wool: (S, A, O, K:) or a worm, or grub, that attacks wool and cloths (Mgh and Msb in art. سوس) and wheat or other food; (Mgh in that art.;) also called سُوسَةٌ: (Mgh and Msb in that art.:) and it is said to be the أَرَضَة, [generally signifying the wood-fretter, but here meaning] a certain insect that eats wool, and skin, or leather: (Msb:) the pl. of عُثَّةٌ is عُثَثٌ, (O,) or عُثٌّ, (K,) or both, (S,) or [rather] عُثٌّ, which is expl. by IDrd as a pl., is a gen. n., having a pl. meaning though it is a sing: (TA:) the pl. of عُثٌّ is عِثَاثٌ. (Msb.) An Arab of the desert, being asked respecting his son, said, أُعْطِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِنْ مَالِى دَانِقًا وَإِِنَّهُ فِيهِ لَأَسْرَعُ مِنَ العُثِّ فِى الصُّوفِ فِى الصَّيْفِ [I give him, every day, of my property, a dánik (a small silver coin), and verily he is quicker in consuming it than the moth-worm in wool in the summer]. (TA.) And one says, فُلَانٌ عُثُّ مَالٍ, (S, O,) meaning (assumed tropical:) Such a one is a consumer of property; (PS;) like as one says إِِزَآءُ مَالٍ, (S, O,) meaning “ a manager of property. ” (PS.) [See also عُثَّةٌ below: and عُثَيْثَةٌ.] -A2- أَطْعَمَنِى سَوِيقًا حُثًّا عُثًّا means [He fed me with meal of parched barley or wheat] not moistened and beaten up with anything greasy [such as clarified butter &c.]. (O: in the TA حُثًّا وَعُثًّا.)
An Arabic-English Lexicon. London. Williams and Norgate. 1863.

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