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عِلَّةٌ ذ An accident that befalls an object and causes its state, or condition, to become altered. (TA.) ― -b2- And hence, (TA,) A disease, sickness, or malady; (S, O, K, TA;) because, by its befalling, the state becomes altered from strength to weakness; so says El-Munáwee in the “ Tow- keef: ” (TA:) or a disease that diverts [from the ordinary occupations; app. regarded as being from what next follows]: pl. عِلَلٌ (Msb) [and عِلَّاتٌ]. ― -b3- Also An accident, or event, that diverts the person to whom it occurs from his course, (S, O, K,) or from the object of his want: (M:) as though it became a second occupation hindering him from his former occupation. (S, O.) ― -b4- And [hence,] an excuse; an apology; a plea whereby one excuses himself. (TA.) Hence, (K, * TA,) لَاتَعْدَمُ خَرْقَآءُ عِلَّةً [expl. in art. خرق]. (K, TA.) [See also another ex. in art. سأل, conj. 3.] ― -b5- And A cause: [and particularly an efficient cause:] (M, K:) one says, هٰذَا عِلَّةٌ لِهٰذَا This is a cause of this: (M:) and هٰذِهِ عِلَّتُهُ This is its cause: (K:) [and ↓ عِلَّةٌ وَمَعْلُولٌ Cause and effect; a phrase of frequent occurrence in theological and other works:] and [sometimes عِلَّةٌ signifies a pretext, or pretence:] it is said in a trad. of 'Áïsheh, فَكَانَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمٰنِ يَضْرِبُ رِجْلِى بِعِلَّةِ الرَّاحِلَةِ, meaning And 'Abd-Er-Rahmán was beating my leg with the pretence, or pretext, of his beating the side of the camel with his leg. (TA.) ― -b6- The phrase عَلَى عِلَّاتِهِ means In every case. (S, O, K.) Zubeyr says, “ إِِنَّ البَخِيلَ مَلُومٌ حَيْثُ كَانَ وَاٰ
كِنَّ الجَوَادَ عَلَى عِلَّاتِهِ هَرِمُ
” [Verily the niggard is blamed wherever he be; but the liberal in all his circumstances is Herim]: (S, O:) meaning his companion Herim Ibn-Sinán El-Murree. (S in art. هرم.)
An Arabic-English Lexicon. London. Williams and Norgate. 1863.

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