ع س ع سʿ-s-ʿ-s
(quadriliteral, rubāʿī) عَسْعَسَ يُعَسْعِسُ عَسْعَسَةًʿasʿasa yuʿasʿisu ʿasʿasatan: one of the words of opposite meanings (aḍdād) — both the coming of the night and its departing; hence the exegetes have mentioned both meanings. The lexicographers say that the basic sense is a faint darkness, which occurs at both ends of the night — and this is what joins the two meanings together. Only once in the Quran: ﴿وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ﴾ (At-Takwīr 81:17) — and the following verse ﴿وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ﴾, according to most exegetes, supports the sense of "departing".