يَزَلْcease / stop (in the idiom 'لم يزل' = continued)

Example sentences

• فَمَلأَهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَأَدْنَاهُ مِنَ الْمِصْبَاحِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ قَائِمًا وَهُوَ فِي يَدِهِ حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ

  So he filled it with water and placed it nearer to the lamp, and he did not cease standing while it was in his hand until morning came.

  يَزَلْ — cease. This present-shape verb is trimmed into the jussive form because the past-negation particle just before it demands that ending, flipping it to past 'did not cease'. Paired with the negator, this 'cease' verb forms the idiom 'kept on doing', a continuous-state expression. So 'did not cease standing' means he stayed standing the whole time.

  From: A Son Protecting His Father →

• فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِهِ أَبُو جَهْلٍ حَتَّى قَالَ أَمَّا إِذْ غَلَبْتَنِي،

  So Abu Jahl did not cease at him until he said, "As for when you have overcome me,"

  يَزَلْ — cease. A present verb in a 'cease' pattern, here in the clipped (jussive) ending demanded by the 'lam' before it. Negated this way it means 'kept on, did not stop' — the negation flips a 'cease' verb into relentless persistence.

  From: Warning Before the Battle of Badr →