लम्ब्

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *(s)lembʰ- (“to hang loosely, hang limply”); compare English limp and Latin limbus (“border; hem”). Not related to Lithuanian rambüs (“dull, lazy”). The "support" meanings may have been influenced by the separate root रम्भ् (rambh), a derivative of रभ् (rabh).

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /lɐmb/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /l̪ɐmb/

Root

लम्ब् • (lamb)

1. (cf. √1. रम्ब्) cl.1 Ā. (Dhātup. x, 15) लम्बते (mc. also °ति ; pf. ललम्बे MBh. &c. ; aor. अलम्बिष्ट Gr. ; fut. लम्बिता ib. ; लम्बिष्यति MBh. ; inf. लम्बितुम् ib. ; ind.p. -लम्ब्य ib.), to hang down, depend, dangle, hang from or on (loc.) Suparṇ. MBh. &c.
2. to sink, go down, decline, fall, set (as the sun) MBh. Kāv. &c.
3. to be fastened or attached to, cling to, hold or rest on (loc.) ib.
4. to fall or stay behind, be retarded Sūryas.
5. to tag, loiter, delay, tarry MBh. : Caus. लम्बयति (aor. अललम्बत्), to cause to hang down or depend, let down Kathās.
6. to hang up, suspend ib.
7. to cause to be attached or joined MW.
8. to stretch out, extend (the hand) for (dat.) Ragh.
9. (prob.) to depress, discourage MBh. i, 1445 (C. लङ्घयित्वा for लम्बयित्वा): Desid. लिलम्बिषते, to be about to sink or decline Hcar. v.l. ()

Derived terms

• लम्ब (lamba)
• लम्बते (lambate)

References

• Monier Williams (1899) “लम्ब्”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, , new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 0897.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1996) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, pages 436-437; 474
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1976) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 44