The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon

Click on a headword to see a complete lexicon entry in another window

w_ c

rb noun pl. construct

rb, rbˀ (raḇ, rabbā) n.m. chief; teacher

In Syriac the plural form varies with the meaning: "chief, noble one," etc. follows the adjectival, reduplicative patterns with or without final -ān (see s.v. rb adj., while "teacher" uses ܪ̈ܲܒܿܵܢܸܐ ; JBA pl. רבי, רבוותא; many compounds keep the singular form rb even in the plural of the compound, e.g. ܪܒܥܠܢ̈ܐ "chief shepherd"; LJLA uses both רברבין and רברבנין as the plural for "noble". In Gal. forms with doubled /b/ display a vowel shift /a/>/e/, hence rebbī "rabbi", etc. Compare rbwn. The multiplicity of plural forms in Mandaic currently defies analysis!

1 chief Com. --(a) in compounds: chief of ..., chief X-er . --(b) nobleman, chieftain BA-Da, Gal, CPA, JBAg, LJLA. (b.1) pl. form in sg. sense CPA.
2 master Com. --(a) teacher Gal, PTA, Syr, JBA, Man, LJLA. (a.1) in direct address: rabbī : my master, teacher, rabbi . (a.2) rbn : our master Syr.

ry$ noun pl. construct

ryš, ryšˀ (rēš, rēšā) n.m. head; top; chief

Mand. pl.rišauata, rišuata, rišia

  1 head Com. --(a) as the seat of vision Com.
  2 top Com. --(a) fig.: top, best, choice Com. (a.1) choice, first quality Gal, PTA. (a.2) best Syr. 1 (of bad things) : the worst Syr. (a.3) preferred position Syr. (a.4) to go, rise ܠܪܝܫ : to achieve the best, succeed Syr. --(b) lit. top, thing on top Com. (b.1) in compounds : the top thing, the main thing . 1 ܪܝܫ ܐܣܬܐ : top of the wall, capstone Syr. 2 ܪܝܫ ܦܪܨܘܦܐ : forehead Syr. 3 d/lzwytˀ : capsone (?), cornerstone(?) CPA, Syr.
  3 beginning OfA-Egypt, Qum, Gal, Syr. --(a) first part of a tannaitic statement Gal, JBA. --(b) firstfruits Syr. --(c) in compounds : the first thing, beginning . (c.1) (of a river) source Qum, JLAtg, PTA, CPA, Syr, LJLA.
  4 capital funds, principal OfA-Egypt, Nab, Syr. --(a) ריש כיסא : principal JBA. --(b) ܪܝܫ ܡܠܐ : principal Syr.
  5 tip, extremity Gal, Syr. --(a) bit riš : end place, i.e. goal? Man.
  6 chief, head of a group Palm, Nab, Qum, PTA, Syr. --(a) in compounds: chief X, chief of X .
  7 major element Com. --(a) chapter Syr. --(b) region Syr. (b.1) major group, section Syr. --(c) principal organ Syr. --(d) (philos.) principal, fundamental feature Syr. --(e) individual, one of a group Palm, Syr.
  8 in compounds: something characterized by being a head or top of something . --(a) ܪܝܫ ܕܟܪܐ : battering ram Syr. --(b) ܪܝܫ ܕܒܒܐ : myuiokephalon (a disease) Syr.
  9 adv (various) Syr. --(a) ܡܢ ܕܪܝܫ : see s.v. mn ryš adv. Syr. --(b) mn riš briš : again and again, i.e. forever Man. (b.1) ܪܝܫܐ ܪܝܫܐ : one after another, i.e., head after head Syr. --(c) בריש adv./prep. see s.v. bryš OfA-Egypt, JLAtg. --(d) ܩܘܡ ܪܝܫܐ : to do something first, most importantly Syr. --(e) בריש גלי : openly : see s.v. gly adj. JLAtg.
  10 center, point Syr. --(a) source Syr. (a.1) ܪܝܫ ܡܒܘܥܐ : the source of a spring Syr.
  11 poison [Heb. ראש , רוש ] JLAtg, Syr, LJLA.