1 ثَقُفَ ثقف , aor. ثَقُفَ , inf. n. ثَقَافَةٌ; and ثَقِفَ, aor. ثَقَفَ , inf. n. ثَقَفٌ (S, K) and ثَقْفٌ; (K;) He (a man, S) became skilled, or skilful; and light, active, quick, or sharp; and intelligent, or sagacious. (S, K, TA.) ― -b2- ثَقُفَ, aor. ثَقَافَةٌ, is also said of vinegar (خَلٌّ), meaning It was, or became, very acid; and so ثَقِفَ. (TA. [But I suspect that this may have been taken from a MS. in which خُلٌّ has been erroneously put for رَجُلٌ. In the JK, I find رَجُلٌ ثَقِيفٌ وَقَدْ ثَقُفَ ثَقَافَةً.]) -A2- ثَاقَفَهُ فَثَقَفَهُ, aor. of the latter ثَقُفَ : see 3. ― -b2- ثَقَفْتُ الشَّىْءَ, aor. ثَقَفَ , inf. n. ثَقَافَةٌ and ثُقُوفَةٌ, I was, or became, skilled in the thing. (Ham p. 772.) ― -b3- And ثَقْفٌ signifies The learning a thing quickly: [its verb is ثَقَفَ or ثَقِفَ:] you say, ثَقَفْتُ العِلْمَ فِى أَوْحَى مُدَّةٍ, and الصِّنَاعَةَ, I acquired knowledge, or the science, and the art, or handicraft, quickly [in the shortest period]: (TA:) and ثَقِفْتُ الحَدِيثَ I understood the narration, or tradition, &c., quickly. (Msb.) ثَقِفَهُ, aor. ثَقَفَ , (S, Msb, K,) inf. n. ثَقْفٌ, (S, K, *) or ثَقَفٌ, (Msb,) [but the former is better known,] primarily signifies, He perceived it, or attained it, by knowledge, or by deed: (Bd ii. 187:) or he perceived it, or attained it, by his sight, by expertness in vision: and hence, (Er-Rághib, TA,) (tropical:) he reached him, or overtook him, (IF, Msb, K, and Er-Rághib,) in war, or fight: (Msb:) or (K) (assumed tropical:) he found him: (S, K, and Bd in ii. 187 &c.:) or (assumed tropical:) he found him in the way of taking and overcoming: (Ksh in ii. 187:) or (K) (assumed tropical:) he took him, or it, (Lth, Msb, K,) namely, a thing: (Msb:) or (K) by implication, (Bd in ii. 187,) (assumed tropical:) he gained the victory, or mastery, over him; overcame him; (IDrd, Msb, K, and Bd ubi suprà;) or got possession of him. (IDrd, Msb, K.) It is said in the Kur [ii. 187 and iv. 93], وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ And slay ye them wherever ye find them: (Ksh, Bd, Jel, TA:) or wherever ye take them, or overcome them, or overtake them. (TA.) And exs. occur also in the Kur [iii. 108 and] viii. 59 and xxxiii. 61 [and lx. 2]. (TA.) For another ex., see 4, below. ― -b4- ثَقِفَهُ also signifies He thrust him, or pierced him, [with a spear or the like,] namely, a man. (Ham p. 772.) ― -b5- See also 2.

2 ثقّفهُ ثقف ثقفه ثقفة , (S, Msb, K,) inf. n. تَثْقِيفٌ, (S, Mgh, K, KL,) He straightened it, or made it even, (S, Mgh, K, KL,) or straightened what was crooked thereof; (Msb;) namely, a spear, (S, KL,) [and a bow, (see ثِقَافٌ,)] or a crooked thing; with the ثِقَاف: (Mgh:) [and so ↓ ثَقَفَهُ , accord. to an explanation of the inf. n. ثَقْفٌ in the KL.] تَثْقِيفُ السَّهْمِ عَلَى القَوْسِ, as meaning The directing the arrow upon the bow straightly towards the object aimed at, is not approved. (Mgh.) ― -b2- Hence, (Mgh,) (tropical:) He disciplined him, or educated him well, and amended him, or improved him. (Mgh, TA.) You say, لَوْلَا تَثْقِيفُكَ وَتَوْقِيفُكَ مَا كُنْتُ شَيْئًا (tropical:) [But for thy disciplining, or good educating, and amending, or improving, and thy teaching, I had not been anything]. (TA.) ― -b3- You say also, of vinegar, يُثَقِّفُ الطَّعَامَ, i. e. It makes food acid. (Har p. 227.) 3 ثَاْقَفَ ↓ ثاقفهُ فَثَقَفَهُ , (K,) inf. n. of the former مُثَاقَفَةٌ and ثِقَافٌ, (TA,) and aor. of the latter ثَقُفَ , (K,) He vied with him, or strove to surpass him, in skill, (K, TA,) and intelligence, or sagacity, and the perceiving, or attaining, of a thing, and the doing thereof, (TA,) and he surpassed him therein. (K, TA.) Er-Rághib says that this is metaphorical. (TA.) [Accord. to J,] المُثَاقَفَةُ is from ثَقُفَ in the first of the senses explained above. (S.) ― -b2- ثِقَافٌ also signifies The contending with another: and particularly in fight, or with the sword: (K: [see also ثَقْفٌ, below:]) and the using of, or performing with, the sword; like ثِقَافَةٌ. (TA.) And ثاقفهُ, inf. n. مُثَاقَفَةٌ, He played with him with the sword, or some other weapon. (TA.)

4 أُثْقِفْتُهُ  [I was made to gain the mastery over him, or to overcome him: or, which is virtually the same,] he was appointed for me [that I might have the mastery over him]. (Sgh, K.) 'Amr Dhu-l-Kelb says, “ فَإِِنْ أُثْقِفْتُمُونِى فَاقْتُلُونِى
فَسَوْفَ تَرَوْنَ بَالِى ↓ وَإِِنْ أَثْقَفْ
” And if ye [be made to] gain the mastery over me, i. e. if it be appointed for you to meet me [and overcome me], then slay me: but if I meet [you and overcome], then shall ye see my condition: but some relate it thus: وَمَنْ أَثْقَفْ, meaning but whom I meet, of you, I will slay him: (Skr, Sgh, TA:) [and J gives it thus:] فَإِِمَّا تَثْقَفُونِى الخ [meaning And if ye meet me &c.]. (S.) 5 تثقّف تثقف ثقف (tropical:) [He was, or became, disciplined, or educated well, and amended, or improved; quasipass. of 2, q. v.] You say, هَلْ تَثَقَّفْتُ إِِلَّا عَلَى يَدِكَ (tropical:) [Was I, or have I been, disciplined, &c., save by thy agency, or means?]. (A, TA.) 6 تثاقفوا تثاقف تثاقفوا ثاقف They contended, or played, one with another, with swords, or other weapons. (TA.) ثَقْفٌ ثقف Skilled, or skilful; and light, active, quick, or sharp; and intelligent, or sagacious; as also ↓ ثَقِفٌ and ↓ ثَقُفٌ (S, K) and ↓ ثَقِيفٌ and ↓ ثِقِّيفٌ : (K:) or ↓ ثَقِيفٌ signifies quick in understanding a narration: (Msb:) and ↓ ثَقَافٌ , applied to a woman, intelligent, or sagacious. (K.) You say also رَجُلٌ ثَقْفٌ لَقْفٌ and لَقِفٌ ↓ ثَقِفٌ , meaning A man who is a relater, a poet, an archer or a caster of the spear &c.: (Lth, JK, TA:) or light, active, quick, or sharp, and skilful: (S and K in art. لقف:) or quick in understanding what is said to him; and in taking what is thrown to him: or skilful in his art, or handicraft: (TA in that art.:) or a man who keeps, preserves, or guards, and manages, or orders, well, that which he possesses: (ISk, TA:) and Lh adds لَقِيفٌ ↓ ثَقِيفٌ : and Ibn-'Abbád, لِقِّيفٌ ↓ ثِقِّيفٌ . (TA.) ― -b2- A man quick in taking, or seizing, his opponents, or adversaries. (Ksh ii. 187.) -A2- ثَقْفٌ, or (as it is written in one place in the TA) ↓ ثَقَفٌ , also signifies Contention: and particularly in fight, or with the sword: like ثِقَافٌ [inf. n. of 3, q. v.]. (TA.) ثَقَفٌ ثقف : see ثَقْفٌ. ثَقُفٌ ثقف : see ثَقْفٌ. ثَقِفٌ ثقف : see ثَقْفٌ, in two places. ثَقَافٌ ثقاف : see ثَقْفٌ. ثِقَافٌ ثقاف Skill, and intelligence, or sagacity; as also ↓ ثُقُوفَةٌ . (TA.) -A2- Also An instrument with which spears are straightened, (S, K, TA,) and bows also, (TA,) and [other] crooked things; (JK, Mgh, TA;) made of iron: (JK, TA:) or a strong piece of wood, a cubit in length, having at its extremity a hole large enough to admit the bow, [or the spear], which is inserted into it, and pinched and pressed in the part that requires this to be done until it becomes in the state that is desired; but this is not done to bows nor to spears until they have been greased, and prepared with fire, or exposed thereto so as to have become altered in colour: (AHn, TA:) the pl. [of pauc.] is أَثْقِفَةٌ and [of mult.] ثُقُفٌ. (JK, TA.) ― -b2- [Also The handle of a shield of the kind called حَجَفَة: see إِِخَاذَةٌ.] ثَقِيفٌ ثقيف : see ثَقْفٌ, in three places. ― -b2- Also Very acid; applied to vinegar; (K;) and so ↓ ثِقِّيفٌ , (S, K,) like حِرِّيفٌ applied to the onion. (S.) And أَبُو ثَقِيفٍ (tropical:) Vinegar [itself]; so named because it makes food acid. (Har p. 227.) ― -b3- Also, and ↓ مَثْقُوفٌ , A thing skilled in. (Ham p. 772.) ― -b4- And both these words, A man thrust or pierced [with a spear or the like]. (Ham ibid.) ثِقَافَةٌ ثقافه ثقافة The use of, or performance with, the sword; like ثِقَافٌ [inf. n. of 3, q. v.]. (TA.) You say, هُوَ حَسَنُ الثِّقَافَةِ بِالسَّيْفِ [He is good in respect of performance with the sword]. (TA.) ثُقُوفَةٌ ثقوفه ثقوفة : see ثِقَافٌ. ثِقِّيفٌ ثقيف : see ثَقْفٌ, in two places: ― -b2- and see ثَقِيفٌ. أَثْقَفُ  More, and most, skilled, or skilful, [in a general sense, and particularly] in contending, or playing, with the sword, or other weapon. (TA.) مُثَقَّفٌ مثقف A spear straightened, or made even. (TA.) [Accord. to Freytag, it is poetically used as signifying A spear itself; and so with ة.] مَثْقُوفٌ مثقوف : see ثَقِيفٌ. Credit: Lane Lexicon