لِئَلاlest

Example sentences

• لِئَلا يَكُونَ لَهُ دُخَانٌ،

  so that there would be no smoke from it,

  لِئَلا — lest. A purpose particle meaning roughly 'so that... not', built from li- (in order to) fused with a negation. Its grammatical job is double: it points forward to the goal of the previous action and at the same time negates that goal, and it forces the verb after it out of the plain present into the subjunctive shape. So it does not just translate as 'lest'; it bends the following verb's ending and frames everything after it as an intended-but-prevented outcome.

  From: Mothers and the Companions →

• لِئَلا يُخْزَى بَيْنَ الْحَاضِرِينَ ،

  Lest he be disgraced among those present.

  لِئَلا — lest. A fused purpose particle meaning 'so that...not / lest', combining a 'so that' linker with negation. It points forward to the goal being avoided and bends the verb after it into the subjunctive shape, so it both sets a purpose and triggers the verb's ending change.

  From: Humility Over Fame →

• لِئَلا يَمْضِيَ الزَّمَانُ فَارِغًا،

  So that time would not pass idly.

  لِئَلا — lest. A purpose particle meaning 'so that... not', combining a 'for/in-order-that' sense with negation. It forces the verb after it into the subjunctive, the mood Arabic uses for an intended-but-not-yet-real aim. So it both states the goal and shapes the following verb to fit it.

  From: A Life of Reading and Writing →

• لِئَلا يَضِيعَ شَيْءٌ مِنْ وَقْتِيِ

  So that none of my time is wasted.

  لِئَلا — in order not to. A purpose particle meaning 'so that... not', fusing a 'for/in-order-that' sense with negation. It drives the verb after it into the subjunctive, the mood for an intended aim not yet realised. So it both names the goal and reshapes the following verb to suit it.

  From: A Life of Reading and Writing →