استحيا

• اِسْتَحَى (istaḥā)

From root ح ي و (ḥ-y-w). Possibly related to Hebrew הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavá, “bow down, prostrate oneself”).

• IPA^(key): /is.taħ.jaː/

اِسْتَحْيَا • (istaḥyā) X (non-past يَسْتَحْيِي (yastaḥyī), verbal noun اِسْتِحْيَاء (istiḥyāʔ))

1. to let live
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 7:141:

     وَإِذْ أَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ۖ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ

     wa-ʔiḏ ʔanjaynākum min ʔāli firʕawna yasūmūnakum sūʔa l-ʕaḏābi yuqattilūna ʔabnāʔakum wa-yastaḥyūna nisāʔakum wa-fī ḏālikum balāʔun min rabbikum ʕaẓīmun

     And , when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh, afflicting you with the worst torment – killing your sons and keeping your women alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.

2. to be shy, ashamed
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 2:26:

     إِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا

     ʔinna llāha lā yastaḥyī ʔan yaḍriba maṯalan mā baʕūḍatan fa-mā fawqahā

     Indeed, Allah is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it.

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 28:25:

     فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى ٱسْتِحْيَاءٍ

     fajāʔathu ʔiḥdāhumā tamšī ʕalā stiḥyāʔin

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)