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)

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-ʾiḏ ʾanjaynākum min ʾāli firʿawna yasūmūnakum sūʾa l-ʿaḏābi yuqattilūna ʾabnāʾakum wa-yastaḥyūna nisāʾakum wa-fī ḏālikum balāʾun min rabbikum ʿaẓīmun

     And [recall, O Children of Israel], when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh, [who were] 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 [+ مِنْ‎ (object)]
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 2:26:

     ‏إِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا‎

     ʾinna llāha lā yastaḥyī ʾan yaḍriba maṯalan mā baʿūḍatan 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

     fajāʾathu ʾiḥdāhumā tamšī ʿalā stiḥyāʾin

     (please add an English translation of this quote)