1 عَرَفَهُ ذ , (S, O, Msb, K, &c.,) aor. عَرِفَ , (O, K,) inf. n. مَعْرِفَةٌ (S, O, K) and عِرْفَانٌ (S, O, Msb, K) and عِرِفَّانٌ (K) and عِرْفَةٌ , (Msb, K,) or مَعْرِفَةٌ is a simple subst., (Msb,) He knew it; he had cognition of it; or he was, or became, acquainted with it; syn. عَلِمَهُ : (K:) or he knew it ( عَلِمَهُ ) by means of any of the five senses; (Msb;) [and also, by mental perception: ] Er-Rághib says, المَعْرِفَةُ is the perceiving a thing by reflection, and by consideration of the effect thereof [ upon the mind or sense ], so that it has a more special meaning than العِلْمُ , and its contr. is الإِنْكَارُ ; and one says, فُلَانٌ يَعْرِفُ ٱللّٰهَ وَرَسُولَهُ [ Such a one knows God and his apostle ], but one does not say يَعْلَمُ ٱللّٰهَ , making the verb [thus] to have a single objective complement, since man's مَعْرِفَة [or knowledge] of God is [the result of] the consideration of his effects, without the perception of his essence; and one says, اَللّٰهُ يَعْلَمُ كَذَا , but not يَعْرِفُ كذا , since المَعْرِفَةُ is used in relation to عِلْم [or knowledge] which is defective, to which one attains by reflection: it is from عَرَفْتُهُ meaning I found, or experienced, its عَرْف i. e. odour; or as meaning I attained its عُرْف i. e. limit: (TA:) it is said in the B that المَعْرِفَةُ differs from العِلْمُ , in meaning, in several ways: the former concerns the thing itself [which is its object;] whereas the latter concerns the states, or conditions, or qualities, thereof: also the former generally denotes the perceiving a thing as a thing that has been absent from the mind, thus differing from the latter; therefore the contr. of the former is الإِنْكَارُ , and the contr. of the latter is الجَهْلُ ; and the former is the knowing a thing itself as distinguished from other things; whereas the latter concerns a thing collectively with other things: (TA in art. علم :) and sometimes they put in the place of عَرَفَ ; (S, O;) [i. e.] اعترف الشَّىْءَ signifies عَرَف

2 تَعْرِيفٌ ذ signifies The making to know; syn. إِعْلَامٌ : (S, O, K, TA:) [or rather it has a more restricted signification than the latter word, as is indicated in the preceding paragraph:] and in this sense its verb may have two objective complements: one says, عرّفهُ الأَمْرَ He made him to know the affair, or case; syn. أَعْلَمَهُ إِيَّاهُ : [or he acquainted him with it; or told him of it: ] and عرّفهُ بَيْتَهُ He made him to know, or acquainted him with, the place of his house, or tent; syn. أَعْلَمَهُ بِمَكَانِهِ : (TA:) [and] one says عَرَّفْتُهُ بِهِ , meaning I made him to know it by means of any of the five senses [or by mental perception; as also عَرَّفْتُهُ إِيَّاهُ ]. (Msb.) See also 1, former half. And see 4. -b2- Also The making known; contr. of تَنْكِيرٌ . (O, K.) عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ , in the Kur [lxvi. 3], has been expl. as meaning He made known part thereof. (TA. [For other explanations, see 1.]) And عَرَّفْتُهُ بِزَيْدٍ means I made him known by the name of Zeyd; like the phrase سَمَّيْتُهُ بِزَيْدٍ . (Sb, TA.) -b3- [Hence, The explaining a term: and an explanation thereof: thus used, its pl. is تَعْرِيفَاتٌ : it has a less restricted meaning than حَدٌّ , which signifies the “ defining, ” and “ a definition. ” -b4- And The making a noun, or a nominal proposition, determinate. -b5- Hence also,] The crying a stray-beast, or a beast or some other thing that has been lost; (S, TA;) the mentioning it [ and describing it] and seeking to find him who had knowledge of it. (TA.) -b6- And [hence likewise,] عرّفهُ بِذَنْبِهِ He branded him, or stigmatized him, with his misdeed. (TA.) -A2- Also The rendering [a thing] fragrant; (S, O, * K, * TA;) from العَرْفُ : (S:) and the adorning [it], decorating [it], or embellishing [it]. (TA.) عَرَّفَهَا لَهُمْ , in the Kur [xlvii. 7], is said to mean He hath rendered it fragrant [i. e. Paradise ( الجَنَّة )] for them: (S, O:) or it means He hath described it to them so that, when they enter it, they shall know it by t

4 اعرف فُلَانًا ذ He told such a one of his misdeed, then forgave him; and so . (TA.) -A2- اعرف (said of a horse, S, O) He had a long عُرْف [or mane ]. (S, O, K.) -A3- See also 1, near the end.

5 تعرّف ذ It was, or became, known. (Har p. 6.) -b2- And تعرّف إِلَيْهِ He made himself known to him; (TA;) [and so ; for] you say, أَتَيْتُ مُتَنَكِّرًا ثُمَّ ٱسْتَعْرَفْتُ i. e. [ I came disguising myself, or assuming an unknown appearance, then ] I made known who I was: (L:) and اِئْتِ فُلَانًا فَٱسْتَعْرِفْ إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَعْرِفَكَ [ Come thou to such a one and make thyself known to him, that he may know thee ]. (S, O, K. *) [See also 8.] -b3- [Hence,] one says, تعرّف إِلَى ٱللّٰهِ بِالعِبَادَاتِ وَالأَدْعِيَةِ [ He made himself known to God by religious services and prayers ]. (Er-Rághib, TA.) And تَعَرَّفْ إِلَى ٱللّٰهِ فِى الرَّخَآءِ يَعْرِفْكَ فِى الشِّدَّةَ , occurring in a saying of the Prophet to Ibn-'Abbás, [may be rendered Make thyself known to God by obedience in ampleness of circumstances, then He will acknowledge thee in straitness: or] means render thou obedience to God [&c., then] He will requite thee [&c.]. (O.) -A2- تعرّفهُ [ He acquainted himself, or made himself acquainted, with it, or him; informed himself of it; learned it; and discovered it: often used in these senses: for an instance of the last, see تَفَرَّسَ : it is similar to تَعَلَّمَهُ , but more restricted in meaning. -b2- And] He sought the knowledge of it: (Har p. 6:) [or he did so leisurely, or repeatedly, and effectually: ] you say, تَعَرَّفْتُ مَا عِنْدَ فُلَانٍ I sought leisurely, or repeatedly, after the knowledge of what such a one possessed until I knew it. (S, O, K. *) -b3- And تعرّفهُ المَكَانَ , and فِى المَكَانِ , He looked at it, endeavouring to obtain a clear knowledge thereof, in the place; syn. تَأَمَّلَهُ بِهِ . (TA.) -A3- [ تَعَرُّفٌ is also expl. in the KL by the Pers. words بعرف كارى كردن , app. meaning The acting with عُرْف i. e. goodness, &c.: but Golius has hence rendered the verb “ convenienter opus fecit. ”]

6 تعارفوا ذ They knew, or were acquainted with, one another. (S, O, K.) -b2- And i. q. تَفَاخَرُوا [i. e. They vied, competed, or contended for superiority, in glorying, or boasting, or in glory, &c.; or simply they vied, one with another ]: it occurs in a trad., or, as some relate it, with ز ; and both are expl. as having this meaning. (TA.)