وصى

From the root و ص ي‎ (w-ṣ-y).

• IPA^(key): /wasˤ.sˤaː/

وَصَّى • (waṣṣā) II, non-past يُوَصِّي‎‎ (yuwaṣṣī)

1. to ordain, to decree, to command
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 4:131:

     ‏وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا ٱلْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ ٱتَّقُوا اللَّهَ‎

     walaqad waṣṣaynā llaḏīna ʔūtū l-kitāba min qablikum waʔiyyākum ʔani ttaqū l-laha

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 6:151:

     ‏ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ‎

     ḏālikum waṣṣākum bihi laʕallakum taʕqilūna

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

2. to bequeath
3. to advise
4. to entrust, to commend
5. to determine or institute as guardian

From Arabic وَصَّى‎ (waṣṣā).

• IPA^(key): /wasˤ.sˤa/, [ˈwɑsˤ.sˤɑ]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

وصّى • (waṣṣa), form II, present بوصّي‎ (biwaṣṣi)

1. to recommend (that someone to do something)

   ‏بوصّيك انّك تتوجّه للدكتور.‎‎

   bawaṣṣīk ʔinnak titwajjah lad-doktōr.

   I recommend that you go to the doctor.

   (literally, “I ask you that you direct yourself to the doctor.”)

   Synonym: اقترح‎ (iqtaraḥ)

2. to recommend (someone to another) (+ على‎)

   ‏وّصاهم علي للوضيفة.‎‎

   waṣṣāhom ʕalay lil-waẓīfe.

   He recommended me to them for the position.

   (literally, “He asked them for me for the position.”)

3. to request, to order, to ask (someone to do something) (+ على‎)

   ‏وصّيت على طاولة؟‎‎

   waṣṣēt ʕala ṭāwle?

   Did you order a table?

   ‏آه، وصّيته على طاولة.‎‎

   ʔā, waṣṣēto ʕala ṭāwle

   Yes, I asked him for a table.

   Synonym: طلب‎ (ṭalab)

• Grammatically, وصّى‎ (waṣṣa) is akin to English "to ask" (in the sense of "to request"): the direct object of وصّى‎ is that from which something is requested (وصّيته‎ (waṣṣēto) – I asked him), whereas the indirect object is that which is requested (على طولة‎ (ʕala ṭawle) – for a table). Neither object is required, but whether they are used influences the interpretation of the sentence. Without a direct object, وصّى‎ simply means "to put in a request". Without an indirect object, it connotes a recommendation or a suggestion given to another.