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دِيوَانٌ ديوان , an arabicized word, (AO, M, Msb, &c.,) from the Pers. [دِيوَانْ]; (AO, M, &c.;) [though some hold it to be of Arabic origin:] J says, (TA,) it is originally دِوَّانٌ, but ى is substituted for one of the و s ; as is shown by its pl., (S, Msb,) which is دَوَاوِينُ; (S, M, Msb, K;) for if the ى were radical, they would say دَيَاوِينُ; (S;) but accord. to IDrd and IJ, (IB, TA,) it has this latter pl. also: (M, IB, K, TA:) Sb says that the و in دِيوَانٌ, though after ى, is not changed into ى, as it is in سَيِّدٌ, because the ى in the former word is not inherent; that word being of the measure فِعَّالٌ, from دَوَّنْتَ; (M;) [i. e.] it is from دَوَّنَ الكُتُبَ meaning “ he collected the writings; ” as is shown by their saying ↓ دُوَيْوِينٌ , (M,) which is the dim.: (Msb:) ISk says that ديوان is with kesr only [to the د]; (M;) but one says ↓ دَيْوَانٌ also, (K,) which is mentioned by Ks, as postclassical, and by Sb; like بَيْطَارٌ: (M:) the meaning is A دَفْتَر [or register]: (Shifá el-Ghaleel, TA:) or a collection of written leaves or papers [forming a book, generally for registration]: (ISk, M, Mgh, * K:) or a register of accounts; an accountbook: (Msb:) and a register of soldiers and pensioners [and others]: (IAth, K:) the first who instituted, or appointed, or arranged, such a book, (Mgh, Msb, K,) among the Arabs, (Msb,) for the prefects, or administrators, (Mgh, Msb,) and the Kádees, (Mgh,) is said to have been 'Omar: (Mgh, Msb, K: *) accord. to El-Máwardee, it is a register of what concerns the rights, or dues, of the state, relating to the acts of the government, and the finances, and the military and other administrators thereof: (TA:) then any book was thus called: and especially the poetry of some particular poet: so that this meaning became [conventionally regarded as] a proper signification thereof; (Shifá el-Ghaleel, TA;) i. e. a collection of poetry [of a particular poet]. (TA.) [Hence,] one says, فُلَانٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدِّيوَانِ, meaning Such a one is of those whose names are written in the register. (Mgh.) [Also Such a one is of the keepers of the register; or, is of the registrars. (And sometimes it has another meaning, which see below.) And hence the saying] الشِّعْرُ دِيوَانُ العَرَبِ (assumed tropical:) [Poetry is the register of the Arabs]: because they used to refer to it on their differing in opinion respecting genealogies and wars or fights and the appointing of stipends or allowances from the government-treasury, like as the people of the ديوان [properly so called] refer to their ديوان in a case that is doubtful to them; or because it was the depository of their sciences, and the preserver of their rules of discipline, and the mine of their histories. (Har p. 263.) ― -b2- Afterwards, also, it was applied to signify An account, or a reckoning. (Msb, TA.) ― -b3- And Writers [of accounts or reckonings]. (TA.) ― -b4- And A place of account or reckoning, (Msb, TA,) and of writers [of accounts or reckonings] (TA.) ― -b5- [Also A council, court, or tribunal: see دَسْتٌ. Hence أَهْلُ الدِّيوَانِ sometimes means The people of the council, court, or tribunal. ― -b6- And also, in the present day, A long seat, formed of a mattress laid against the side of a room, upon the floor or upon a raised structure or frame, with cushions to lean against; or two or more of such mattresses &c. similarly placed.]

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